


Rebels

by LOVEGOD



Category: DC Comics, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Arab Damian Wayne, Batfamily (DCU), Cross-Posted on Wattpad, DC Comics References, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Father Figures, Gen, I just want Mar'i to come back, Male-Female Friendship, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romani Dick Grayson, Superfamily (DCU), Superheroes, dickkory - Freeform, so many characters in this fic but I just tagged our mains, so much angst and yet so much humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-27 08:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 92,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30120210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOVEGOD/pseuds/LOVEGOD
Summary: They all were very different from one another. They shouldn't be friends or even like each other. And yet they were the closest of allies. A broken princess, a boy from Kansas, and the demon prince.Damian Wayne and Jon Kent were off one night patrolling the city of Metropolis when they saw a glowing green light flash across the side. And at that moment their lives were never the same.Mar'i Grayson landed on Earth when her mother sent the fifteen-year-old girl away, for her own safety. Tameran was being invaded by outside forces and for that, the princess went away. It was then where she met her father. Dick Grayson.Despite their differences, the three found themselves being friends.As all superhero friends do; they started a team."Who are you three?" A villain would ask.The answer was always the same; "we're the Rebels."
Kudos: 7





	1. Issue #1

**GOTHAM CITY,**  
**11:25 PM CENTRAL TIME**  
  


Robin sat perched on a rooftop. The heavy rain wet his black hair. Water droplets rolled from his jawline to the ground. It was a slow night for his patrol. A few muggers, and one man tried breaking into a liquor store. It seemed as if Gotham was getting better.

 _No. Never think that._ He reminded himself.

Suddenly someone landed beside him. He knew it was Superboy.

"How's the brooding going tonight?" Superboy laughed.

Robin responded to him with a grunt.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Metropolis?" Robin asked looking at the other boy.

Superboy leaned against a gargoyle.

"It's quiet tonight, I didn't see anything." Superboy shook his hair to get the rain out.

"It's quiet here too, I don't like that." Robin squinted and looked through his binoculars.

" **I don't like that**." Superboy mimics in a deep voice.

"TT" Robin looked at Superboy.

Suddenly the building began to shake almost causing Robin to lose his balance. Superboy grabbed the gargoyle to stop it from falling below.

A green glow zoomed across the night sky. Robin and Superboy watched it. As the glow went further and further away the rumbling stopped.

"What was that?" Superboy asked.

"Let's find out."

•

Superboy carried Robin towards the green glow. They watched it crash into the parking lot of supermarket. Superboy dropped Robin close to the ground and flew close to it.

"Wait it could be dangerous," Robin shouted.

Superboy ignored Robin and looked inside. It was a small spaceship-an escape pod. It was the shape of an egg. It was purple with black alien writing. There was a glass screen that was now partially cracked.

Robin stood beside Superboy and looked inside.

"Open it." Robin breathed.

Superboy grabbed the top of the pod and ripped it off its latch. He threw it across the parking lot. Robin got out his flashlight and looked at the panel.

"What language is that?" Superboy asked.

"Don't know. Looks familiar though." Robin answered shortly.

The pod was bigger on the inside. Robin slid inside and Superboy watched him. Robin looked up at him; flashing his flashlight at him.

"You coming?" Robin asked.

Superboy fiddled with his hands, "shouldn't we call someone?"

Robin rolled his eyes under his mask.

"Kent don't be a damn-"

"Sh!" Superboy said listening.

"Don't shush me-"

"Shh!" Superboy slid down the pod and put his hand over Robin's mouth.

"Someone's in here," Superboy whispered.

Robin's eyes widened as he looked around widely.

It was silent to Robin's ears but not Superboy's. He heard the cries of a girl, she was covering her mouth to stop the noise. Superboy looked down at the floor. Robin looked down and pulled his sword from his scythe.

"It's a girl," Superboy whispered.

Robin seemed to ignore that.

With one quick movement, Robin slashed the ground. The floor came down and both boys dropped downwards. There was a feminine cry and they looked in her direction.

She had golden skin, and dark thick black hair. She had cuts and bruises all along her body. The girl had her knees to her chest and was rolled into a ball. Her bright green eyes didn't have pupils and they were filled with tears. She wore a purple dress but it was torn. A strange stuffed animal was next to her.

"Hey," Superboy said tenderly.

He took a step close to her. She flinched back. Superboy leaned down and Robin watched the girl carefully.

"We're going to help you," Superboy said gently.

The girl began to cry harder and held herself closer.

"What's your name? Do you understand me?" Superboy asked.

The girl reached out her hand and traced the 'S' on Superboy's uniform. Robin was now right behind Superboy. He took note of how badly her leg was cut, he wondered if she could even stand.

Superboy heard the sounds of sirens and held her hand to his chest.

"I'm gonna help you, okay? Me and Robin are gonna help you, but we _have_ to move okay?" Superboy looked at Robin.

"Where do we take her? I can hear the police coming."

"We have a hideout in Blüdhaven, I don't think Nightwing will be using it for tonight. We can figure out what to do with her tomorrow."

Robin grabbed the stuffed animal. He handed it to the girl who looked at him.

 _"Night_... _wing_." She repeated.

Her accent threw him off. She knew English, or maybe that name just sounded odd to her. She tried to stand but she fell into Superboy's chest. That seemed to both frustrate and embarrass her. Superboy picked her up with ease. She held the stuffed animal into her chest and tried to make herself seem small.

Superboy flew out of the pod and Robin followed.

The girl leaned up and looked back at the pod with a sad look. Robin jumped along the rooftops and Superboy followed.

" _Planet_... _am... I?_ " She whispered.

"You're on Earth." Superboy answered.

Robin looked back and noticed that answer relaxed her.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN,**  
**12 AM CENTRAL TIME**

When the two boys got to the warehouse in Blüdhaven, they weren't entirely sure what they should do with her. Robin was patching her up and Superboy stood perched over his shoulder.

The girl watched the both of them silent.

Robin noticed the gold and red necklace that hung around the girl's neck. He tried touching it but as he reached for it she jumped back. She stared at him with wide eyes and began to shake.

"My apologies." Robin nodded.

He held up his hands and took a step back. The girl watched him holding her necklace in her hands.

"I was just going to look, I promise I wasn't going to take it from you." He said sincerely.

She seemed to understand and inched herself forward. He went back to cleaning the gash along her head.

"What's your name?" Superboy asked with his hands in his pockets.

She remained silent. Superboy frowned.

"We'll tell you our names if you tell us yours." Superboy tried.

She was still silent. Robin finished clearing her up and took a step back to look at her. Her injuries were completely severe except for the one on her leg. He had to stitch up that cut.

"I'm Jon," Superboy said.

Robin punched his arm and shook his head. Superboy ignored him.

"This is Damian," Superboy pointed at Damian.

Robin sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Mar'i." The girl said looking at the ground.

She spoke louder then she did before. Robin wasn't sure if that meant she was getting comfortable or it was a survival tactic.

"Oh well nice to meet you Mar'i!" Superboy gave her a genuine smile.

"Would you like to shower?" Robin asked.

He took off his hood and Mar'i took a longer look at him. She nodded.

She got up and fell back against the table. Robin moved to help her but she began to float.

"You can fly?" Robin asked.

"Yes," Mar'i answered.

"Why didn't you just fly out of your pod?" Robin's question made Superboy roll his eyes.

"Don't berate her with questions Damian, let her at least bathe herself first." Superboy looked at Mar'i who was still floating in place.

"The bathroom is down the hall to your right. Superboy and I will get you clothes." Robin spoke in a monotone voice.

Mar'i nodded slowly and floated down the hall out of sight. Robin took off his mask and looked at Superboy with a glare.

"Why did you tell her our names?" Damian snapped.

"Chill. It's not like I said _"Hi I'm Jonathan Samuel Kent and this is Damian Wayne and oh by the way he lives at Wayne Manner feel free to stop by!"_ "

Jon grabbed a towel and dried his hair and face. He stopped and looked down the hallway.

"What?" Damian asked grabbing the towel from him.

"She's crying." Jon frowned.

Damian looked in the direction of the hallway. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm gonna get her clothes," Damian threw the towel at Jon's face.

"Where do you think she's from? I haven't heard that accent before." Jon turned on the tv to the news.

"I don't know I was thinking Tamaran but she doesn't look exactly like a Tamaranian..." Damian grabbed a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants.

He folded them and looked up at Jon watching the news.

_"Some type of space pod came from the sky shaking the city of Gotham tonight. When police arrive on the scene no one was inside but there was damage. Commissioner Gordon has told us that this whole area will be quarantined until further notice. Now to Jack Whitley with sports updates!"_

"What should we feed her I mean I-" Jon was cut off by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

Mar'i came out with a towel wrapped around her body. Her hair was wet and water droplets fell to the floor. Jon covered his eyes and looked away. Damian cleared his throat uncomfortable.

"Here." Damian pushed the clothes towards her.

She held them and blinked.

"When you... finish-when you finish you can eat something," Damian stuttered out.

It wasn't _just_ that the girl was almost naked it was the fact that she was _tall_. She had to be maybe a year or two younger than Damian and yet she was easily six foot. She seemed to be even taller than Jon who was 5'7". She was intimidating with her height alone.

Mar'i walked to get dressed. Damian looked back to see Jon still had a hand over his eyes.

"Is she gone?" Jon asked.

"Yes," Damian grunted.

Jon let out a breath and dropped his hand from his eyes.

"Nightwing doesn't have any food in here," Damian said looking through the cabinets.

"There's an Orange in the fridge. That's it." Jon nodded at the mini-fridge in the corner.

Damian opened the fridge and put the single orange on the table. It was silent except for the sound of the TV.

"She's praying I think... she's speaking a language I can't under-"

Damian hit him in the arm. Jon rubbed his arm and looked at Damian.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Jon asked.

"It's rude to eavesdrop on a guest, Kent." Damian raised a brow at him.

"I can't help it!" Jon defended.

The two began to bicker and stopped when Mar'i knocked on the door to get their attention. The two boys looked at her.

The shirt wasn't too big for her but it clearly wasn't in her size. The shirt went a little past her hips she didn't wear the pants to Damian's confusion.

"These kept sliding off my legs every time I walked..." Mar'i said. She pulled the shirt down.

Damian grabbed a sweatshirt and handed it to her. She tied the arms around her waist in the back. It looked awkward but it was better than nothing.

"Uh here sit!" Jon jumped up and pulled out a chair at the counter for her.

Mar'i stood tall and placed her hands in her lap. Her ankle was crossed over the other. It reminded Damian of how his mother sat.

 _So proper. So precise._ He thought.

Mar'i looked at the orange and examined it.

"You have to peel-"

Mar'i bit into the skin and began eating. Damian and Jon watched her. Damian's mouth was agape and he shook his head. The juices of the orange dripped down her chin.

"I take that as you haven't eaten in a while?" Damian asked.

Jon and Damian leaned on the opposite side of the counter. Mar'i didn't even bother answering him. When she was done she wiped her face.

"You have questions," Mar'i stated.

They nodded.

"What would you like to know?" Mar'i asked.

Two boys looked at each other and looked at her. The number of questions they had couldn't even be counted.


	2. Issue #2

**GOTHAM CITY,**   
**3:21AM CENTRAL TIME**   
  


Superboy asked the first question. "What planet are you from?"

"Tamaran," Mar'i answered quickly.

_So Damian was right._ He thought.

"Your hair," Robin said.

That made Mar'i glare. It must have been something she felt insecure about.

"What about it?" Mar'i challenged.

"You don't look like a Tamaranean... your hair, and your eyebrows, you just don't _look_ like a Tamaranean I've ever met."

Mar'i rolled her green eyes at Robin and leaned forward.

"How many Tamaraneans have you met?" She asked.

"One," He said bluntly.

At that Mar'i laughed and shook her head. Superboy let out a small laugh, Robin seemed embarrassed.

"My father... my father is human." Mar'i looked at the table.

"Who's your father?" Robin pressed. "Do you know his name?"

Superboy watched a tear fall from her face and shook his head at the other boy.

"My mother never talked about my father. I didn't ask I had more things to worry about." Mar'i began braiding her hair.

"Like what?" Superboy asked confused.

"My planet was invaded when I was ten, at first they stayed away from the palace." Mar'i got up from her seat and looked around.

"But they began to move closer and closer and for my safety, I was sent away."

The warehouse was moderately sized. Jon was sure she had seen nicer places. There were a couch and a tv. The warehouses were used for changing out of their costumes, hiding evidence, and for emergencies when one of them got hurt.

"What do you know about your father?" Robin asked leaning off of his elbows.

Mar'i thought for a moment she turned to the both of them.

"I know my mother loved him."

* * *

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**   
**6:56 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jon fell into his bed at seven in the morning. The ten seconds of sleep he got he spent dreaming about Mar'i. Then his alarm woke him up. His eyes opened and he fell off the top bunk.

Lois Lane knocked on the door and opened it. Her eyes widened at the sight of Jon.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked shocked.

Clark Kent walked behind her and laughed. "You were out all night?"

Jon didn't respond to his dad's claims. He got up and rubbed his eyes.

"It was eventful..." Jon mumbled.

"What happened?" His dad asked leaning against the doorway.

Lois was in Jon's closet look for something for him to wear. Jon couldn't tell his dad. His dad was **Superman**! He couldn't say anything about Mar'i.

"Oh just went to see Damian in Gotham... you know it's always crazy there." Jon let out a small laugh.

"Did you see that weird alien pod they found?" His mom asked handing him jeans and a _Wonder Woman_ T-shirt.

"No, we stayed away from it actually..." Jon said.

He was a bad liar. A terrible, terrible liar. But it was too early in the morning for his parents much to care.  
  


* * *

**LEX LUTHOR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL,**   
**8:46 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jon was writing notes down in history when he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out under his desk. Damian had texted him.

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Mar'i is still at the warehouse, she told me to tell you "hi."

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Also, I think I found a way to track down her father.

He texted back: _how's that?_ 👀

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
The Justice League has a way to track down all the people on Earth all we need is a saliva sample.

_Wait... the League can track down all the people on Earth... that's so weird wtf_ ****

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
... They use it for emergencies, like to reunite missing children and other situations like that.

_Okay creepy but whatever..._

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Be here by 5.

Jon put his phone away and went back to his notes. He couldn't help but wonder what Mar'is father could have been like. Did he know she existed? Did he even care? Jon sighed and realized he wrote Mar'is name six times instead of writing when The Russian Revolution ended.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN** ,  
 **5:12 PM LOCAL TIME**  
  


Superboy knocked on the door of the warehouse. He was still incredibly tired from last night. After school, he went straight to sleep for an hour. The door opened and he walked inside. Robin put his hood up and was gathering a few things.

Mar'i smiled at him and she sat on the couch. She was watching some cartoon with robots. She looked fresh, Damian must have changed her bandages.

Superboy nodded at her and she waved back. Superboy walked towards Robin and leaned against the counter.

"Did you tell her?" Superboy asked.

"No... I don't want to get her hopes up. I got the sample from a glass she was drinking from. It should work. I also have some of her hair." Robin tightened his utility belt.

"You took her hair?" Superboy blinked.

"Don't make it weird, Kent." Robin walked up to Mar'i and stood in front of the TV.

"We'll be back later. Stay put." Robin ordered.

Superboy rolled his eyes, he was like a drill sergeant.

Robin was about to walk away but Mar'i grabbed his arm.

"Wait, what if someone comes and finds me here?" Mar'i asked.

"No one will come. The only person who really uses this place is Nightwing and he's on a date, so... you'll be fine."

Mar'i seemed amused about his bluntness. Superboy gave her a thumbs up.

"Good luck." Mar'i heartened.

* * *

The Justice League base was located in the middle of Metropolis. For such an old headquarters it was still in pretty good shape. The computer was at the back of the HQ. Superboy and Robin walked quietly. They were most certainly not allowed here. Robin had snuck up here so many times when he was younger, Batman for a short period banned the both of them.

Robin turned on the lights and walked straight to the computer typing quickly. Superboy looked around.

"Who do you think her mother is? I mean she didn't mention her mother that much." Superboy observed.

"I don't know. There have been a few Tamaraneans to come to Earth. It's not like it would be uncommon." Robin huffed.

He leaned back and watched as the screen loads. Superboy walked towards him and leaned on the back of the chair. Faces flashed quickly across the screen. Then it stopped.

"That's... no... that's wrong!" Robin made the computer check again.

Same result.

"Try it again." Superboy breathed.

Same result.

Superboy and Robin looked at the screen. There it said;

100% match Richard John Grayson.  
  


* * *

**TAMARAN, JUNGLE**   
  


She breathed heavily. Her armor was severely damaged. Koriand'r has her long curly red hair braided. The knights looked around carefully before giving her a nod saying they were now safe. She sighed and rubbed her neck. Her joints hurt as did her hands from using so many star bolts. She looked around at her people who began to set up camp.

Tamaraneans were scattered across the planet. Kory thought hatefully about the Parademons. Darkside was dead yet they still found a way to make him proud.

"My queen," a knight came rushing toward with something in his hands.

Kory looked at him. "What is it?"

"Mar'i reached Earth, the princess is safe. Your daughter survived the journey."

He showed her a screen showing that her pod had reached Earth. Koriand'r let out a sigh of relief and fell against a tree. She put her hand over her mouth as tears of happiness swelled inside her eyes.

_Mar'i, Mar'i, Mar'i is okay. Oh, thank you X'Hal!_ She repeated her daughters' name over and over in her mind.

When this war was over. And Tameran was restored to its former glory, Koriand'r would go to Earth. She would go to Earth and hold her daughter for every second that they lost together. 


	3. Issue #3

  
**TAMARAN, TWO DAYS EARLIER,**   
**MORNING**   
  


Mar'i laid in bed not feeling like moving. She rolled over and looked at her window. She had dreamt of her father again. Not that she had ever met her father or seen what he looked like. But that didn't stop Mar'i from imagining him.

She imagined him being tall (hopefully taller than her). She was told she gets her hair and eyebrows from him. She imagined his skin being dark brown and his eyes would be the brightest of blues. He had a crooked smile and a strong jawline.

There was a knock on the princess's door. She hid under her covers and groaned.

"Princess your uncle is here for you." One of her handmaidens bowed.

"Tell him I'm asleep!" Mar'i shouted.

Her uncle entered. He held a tray with tea and fruit with cakes.

"Good morning!" Her uncle Ryand'r said cheerfully.

Ryand'r was tall even taller than Mar'i. He looked like a prince, his features were all defined and perfect. He was apart of her mother's council.

He laid the trey gently next to her. He opened all the curtains and the blazing sun entered her room.

"Rise and shine little one!" Ryand'r pulled the blankets off of her.

"Uncle!" Mar'i cried.

"I have something important to talk to you about." Her uncle sat next to her.

Mar'i began to eat her breakfast. She looked up at him and bite into a frosted pastry.

"Your birthday is in a month." He stated.

"How would you feel about finding a match... for marriage?"

Mar'i choked and hit her chest. She looked at her uncle with wide eyes. It reminded him of a sacred animal.

"We're not marrying you off now!" Ryand'r defended.

"It's not as if your mother would allow it either way." Ryand'r chuckled.

"I don't wish to find a match yet... not yet..." Mar'i sipped her tea.

"As you wish, it was truly just an idea." Ryand'r rubbed her head affectionally.

The thought of marriage made Mar'is head spin. She wondered if anyone would even want to marry her. She wasn't like every other Tamaranean. The only thing she had that others didn't was that she was a princess.

Later that afternoon Mar'i kicked the water of the fountain. The palace's garden was enormous. There was a flower maze and in the center was the Fountain of King's. The first king of Tamaran built it for his wife Ly'an.

"There you are my love!" she heard her mother's voice.

Mar'i ignored her and watched her feet in the water. Her mother sat next to her. Kory bumped Mar'is shoulder with a smile.

"What is the matter?" Kory asked.

"I am turning sixteen next month," Mar'i stated.

"I know, I was there you know." Kory laughed.

"I feel as if people will treat me differently when I am sixteen. That _you_ will treat me different when I am sixteen." Mar'i pulled at her short purple dress.

Kory pulled Mar'i close and ran her hand through her hair gently. It was silent except for the caws of the birds.

"No matter how old you are." Kory whispered "I will always treat you as if you're my little girl. Because you always _will_ be."

Kory kissed Mar'is head.

* * *

Queen Koriand'r sat in her council meeting listening to her general.

"The Parademons are inching closer and closer every day my queen. They took a village far to the south." General Kar'in.

"Was anyone captured?" The queen asked.

"The village was evacuated from what we could tell. But they burned it to the ground." Said the General.

"Every day they inch closer and closer I believe..." Kar'ins voice trailed off.

"You believe what?" Ryand'r asked glaring.

He was never a fan of the General he found him crass and too talkative.

"The princess has a father on-"

"Oh X'Hal not this again!" Kory stood up from her throne and walked towards the large window.

She saw Mar'i and some of her handmaidens running through the maze laughing. Mar'i was in the lead and she reached the fountain and twirled and did a little bow.

"It should be considered as an-"

"Her father doesn't know she exists. That would be terrible of me to send her away to him with no warning." Kory wrapped her arms around herself.

"I'm sure he would understand!" Kar'in rubbed his beard.

"Humans are cruel." Kory turned around.

"Mar'i is not leaving. Discussion over." Ryand'r slammed his hands on the table.

"I apologize if I spoke out of turn my queen." Kar'in bowed before leaving.

The rest of her council took their leave. Kory was left alone with her brother.

"As much as I _hate_ the man. He may have a point."

Kory glared and turned to look out the window again.

"I know you're worried about her but she is almost sixteen. She will survive." Ryand'r stood next to her and looked at the window.

Mar'i looked up and waved. Her nose scrunched up. Kory thought it was the most precious thing.

"I don't only want her to survive. I want her to live."

* * *

**TAMARAN, ONE DAY EARLIER,**   
**NIGHT**

Mar'i woke up from her sleep with the sounds of cries. She opened her eyes and the palace shook so hard she fell out of bed. Paintings fell to the floor.

Guards came bursting into her room with their star bolts blazing.

"Princess, are you okay?" One of the guards asked.

They helped her up, Mar'i rubbed her eyes.

"What is happening?" Mar'i asked.

They didn't answer and carried her out of her room. Her feet didn't touch the ground, one guard held her left arm and the other held her right. They took her to a room she had never seen before. There was a single escape pod in there. She saw her mother and uncle.

"What is happening?" Mar'i yelled and ripped her arms from the guards.

"You're leaving." Her uncle said.

"What?" Mar'i asked looking at her mother.

Her mother had a sad gaze in her eyes. Mar'i was confused and was rushed inside the escape pod.

"Mother!" Mar'i cries grabbing her hand.

Kory leaned down and kissed Mar'is forehead. She held her face and Mar'i began to cry.

"You're going to be with your father on Earth. The Parademons are here, they are attacking. You must leave." Her mother spoke so quickly.

Mar'i watched as her mother unhooked her necklace from around her neck. A necklace of gold and red. She wore that necklace everywhere. Her mother put the necklace on her and smiled.

"This will always keep me with you, my love."

Mar'i didn't have any time to register what she was saying.

"Don't leave me, please!" Mar'i tried to grab her mother's hand but the pod closed.

She saw her uncle give her a sad nod and she shook her head crying harder. Suddenly the pod shot forward. Mar'i looked around and saw the palace burning. People were screaming and flying everywhere. Mar'i looked down to see one of her stuffed animals was there. Her mother must have found it.

How was she even supposed to find her father? She didn't even know his name! All she had was the hypothetical image of him. All she had was a fantasy.

Suddenly something hit her pod and it began to shake. Mar'i screamed. She hit her head against the control pad. She felt blood roll down her face. The pod began to shake making Mar'i rock back and forth. She felt the fresh cuts on her body. Suddenly the pod spun around and around. Mar'i hit her leg hard and cried out. She looked to see her leg bleeding drastically. Mar'i hit her head again.

She looked to see that she had "landed". It wasn't a landing, it was a crash. Was she on Earth? Or had she been thrown off course?

She was on the floor, glass surrounded her. Mar'i let out a shaky breath, she tried getting up but she fell again. She tried flying but she didn't move.

She gasped. _I can't fly! Why can't I fly?_

She crawled under the floorboards by making a little hole for herself. She fell hard on her shoulder. It was probably dislocated. Her breathing was ragged.

"Come on," Mar'i told herself.

She had to get up, she had to move. Tears swelled her eyes. Suddenly she heard voices above her and gasped. She put a hand over her mouth to silence her cries.

_Oh X'Hal, please don't kill me. Please._

Suddenly the ground gave way and two boys came down.

Mar'i breathed heavily and watched them.

A boy with pale skin which reminded her of the moon. He had black hair and blue eyes. The other was a brown-skinned boy who was shorter than the other. He wore a costume she didn't even want to understand.

"Hey." The boy with pale skin said.

He took a step close to her. Mar'i flinched back. The pale-skinned boy leaned down.

"We're going to help you." He said gently.

Mar'i didn't want help. She wanted to go home. She began to cry harder.

"What's your name? Do you understand me?"

Mar'i noticed the "S" on his chest. She knew him, was he Superman? No, he couldn't be! Superman had to be older. She reached out and traced the "S". Mar'i looked at him, fascinated.

"I'm gonna help you, okay? Me and Robin are gonna help you, but we have to move okay?" The pale boy looked at the one called Robin.

She did not pay attention to his words. She heard nothing.

Robin spoke and said a name that caught her attention. "I don't think Nightwing will be using it for tonight. We can figure out what to do with her tomorrow."

Robin grabbed her stuffed animal. And he handed it to her.

"Night...wing." Her voice was course.

Mar'i wasn't sure if her English would be good enough for them to understand her. While she knew sixteen languages she had never truly used any of them. Tamaranian was the only language she had ever spoken.

Mar'i tried to stand but she fell into the pale boy's hard chest. She let out a small growl and held his shirt in her hands. The boy picked her up. The boy smelled nice and his costume felt soft against her head.

He flew her out of the pod.

She watched her escape pod burn in the dark night. The last thing she had of Tamaran was the pod and her Teddy Bear.

She had to know what planet she was on.

"Planet... am... I?" She whispered looking up at the boy.

"You're on Earth." He answered.

She made it. She was going to meet her father after fifteen years. Mar'i was on Earth.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN** ,  
 **5:48 PM LOCAL TIME**

Mar'i sat on the couch alone, in the warehouse. She wondered when Damian and Jon would be back. Then she heard a voice.

"Lauren I'm really sorry! Can we just-hello?" Mar'i began to panic.

She jumped off the couch and shut the lights. She hid under the couch and watched the door open. The lights were turned on and Mar'i heard a man sigh.

She saw black boots walk across the floor. She put a hand over her mouth.

" _Go out with her! She's fun! And totally not crazy!_ God, I'm gonna kick Roy's ass." the man said.

Mar'i felt the couch dip. She put a hand over her mouth and began to shake. Mar'i peaked out a little to look at the stranger.

The man had black hair and brown skin. She could see he had blue eyes. Mar'i noticed he had some scars along his arms. He was looking at his phone and smiled at something. Mar'i thought he had the most perfect smile she had ever seen. He was handsome that much was clear.

Suddenly the door opened and she hid back under the couch. She saw Robin's boots and Superboy's sneakers.

"Dick! Why are you here?" Robin asked nervously.

She had never heard him sound like that. He didn't seem to get anxious easily. Was this man scary?

"Hey Dami, hey Jonny Boy!" The man got up and walked towards Damian and Jon.

Jon looked around and noticed Mar'i was under the couch. He cleared his throat and nervously rubbed his hands together.

"I had to cancel my date I'm working on this case and-"

"Wow!" Jon shouted nodded.

Damian stared at Dick for a few seconds and nodded.

"You should go!" Jon yelled trying to make Dick move.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because... why would you want to review evidence here! This place sucks!" Jon hit Damian in the arm.

Damian nodded agreeing.

"Are you two okay?" Dick asked concerned.

Mar'i felt herself about to sneeze.

_Oh no. Please don't!_

She sneezed so hard the couch flipped over.

Dick turned around and looked at her with his mouth open. She laughed nervously and stood up. Dick looked her up and down and blinked.

"Who... who is she?" Dick asked looking at Damian.

Damian handed Dick a piece of paper and looked at Mar'i.

"We're gonna leave you two alone." Jon swallowed and grabbed Damian's cape and took him outside.

Dick turned around and looked at Mar'i.

"Hi." Mar'i smiled.

"Hi." Dick waved.


	4. Issue #4

**BLÜDHAVEN** ,  
 **6:36 PM LOCAL TIME**  
  


Dick and Mar'i sat across from each other silent. The only noise in the room was the sound of a ticking clock. Dick grabbed his cup of coffee and downed it quickly. This was not how the thirty-six-year-old thought his life would be going.

Mar'i couldn't believe this was him. _This_ was her father. This was the man her mother had loved so much. Her mother told the young girl he was very handsome. Mar'i could see that now. He seemed to look like a prince. Everything about him radiated beauty.

Mar'ineverfound Tamaraneans to be as beautiful as the universe made them. Tamaraneans were the most beautiful aliens in the whole galaxy. Not that Mar'i found her people ugly she just was used to how they looked. When she was younger people would stare at her because she didn't look like everyone else.

The humans she met (Jon, Damian, and now her father) seemed good-looking but in their own ways.

"So," Her train of thought was broken by her father's voice.

"How old are you?"

Mar'i answered. "Fifteen."

He thought for a second putting memories and ideas together. Mar'i watched him.

"How old are you?" She asked back.

"Thirty-six." He replied.

For some reason, Mar'i began to laugh. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because of how bizarre this all was. This was so awkward she couldn't stop herself from laughing. Her father stared at her with a confused look on his face.

 _Her laugh_ Dick thought _it's just like Kory's._

A small smile fell on his face as he relaxed around her.

"I am sorry." Mar'i apologized quickly. Her laughing fit had died down now.

"It's okay," Dick laughed rubbing the back of his neck.

It was silent again.

"Is it okay if I call a friend? Just to look you over and make sure you don't have any long-term injuries?" Dick pulled out his phone.

Mar'i nodded he smiled at her and put his phone to his ear.

"Vic, I need a favor," he said before closing the outside door behind him.

Mar'i stood up and looked at the hallway door. Robin and Superboy had been eavesdropping. It was obvious. Mar'i opened the door suddenly and the two boys fell to the ground.

Robin and Superboy quickly got up as if nothing had happened.

"It is rude to eavesdrop, your mothers must have taught you better." Mar'i joked.

The boys said nothing. Mar'i crossed her arms and blinked.

"I suppose I won't be seeing either of you again," Mar'i spoke softly.

Superboy snorted, and Robin said nothing.

"What?" Mar'i asked.

"Nothing." Superboy stiffened his laugh.

Mar'i sighed. Dick re-entered the safe-house, his hands were in his pockets.

"We should get going it's a long drive-"

"Superboy and I will go with you." Robin declared.

Dick raised an eyebrow and looked at Superboy. His eyes widened and he leaned over to whisper to Robin.

"Dude, I have a curfew!" He said.

Robin and Dick stared at each other. Mar'i looked between the two.

"They can accompany us... I know them it would make me feel better." Mar'i said breaking the tension.

Dick looked away from and nodded at his daughter.

"Okay, I guess I can just not go home it's fine," Superboy whispered to himself with obvious annoyance.

* * *

**MIDWAY CITY,**   
**10:34 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Dick looked out of his car window to see Victor Stone stood beside Sarah Simms.

He hadn't seen his old teammate in a month. Of course, they still talked but it wasn't the same. Robin and Superboy had taken a different route. The car ride was over was filled with awkward silence.

Dick got out of the car and waited for Mar'i. She sat there for a few moments staring at him. Robin looked at Dick before opening the door for Mar'i.

 _Right. She's a princess. Right._ Dick realized.

Mar'i looked around. It was a homey place with a clean-cut lawn. Superboy landed on the grass making it come unrooted. Sarah glared at the boy.

"That's fresh grass, Jon!" She yelled.

He blushed and apologized.

Sarah came rushing up to Mar'i. She had a warm smile on her face.

Mar'i looked her up and down. This is the first human woman she has ever seen in person. She was pretty.

Blonde hair and green eyes. She had pale skin with some freckles on her cheeks and arms. She was quite short, she was even shorter than Robin.

 _Cute._ Mar'i thought.

"You must be Mar'i! I'm Sarah, it's so nice to meet you!" Sarah introduced.

Mar'i nodded not saying a word.

"Come inside!" Sarah said pulling her arm and whisking her away.

Mar'i stopped her to stare at a cat, it was green with a red collar. It was asleep and snoring softly as it laid on its back.

"Cat." She acknowledged.

She scratched its ear and the cat purred and opened its eyes. It stretched before looking at her.

"Sup?" The cat said.

Mar'i screamed and threw an orange star bolt at it. The cat screeched and ran towards Sarah, jumping into the woman's arms.

"Demon!" She cried, her eyes now glowing green.

"Mar'i, no!" Sarah yelled.

Mar'i looked at her deranged.

 _Cats don't talk. Animals on Tamaran don't talk either. It's a demon._ She thought.

"Garfield you freaked the kid out." Victor Stone shook his head.

The green cat turned into a man. He stretched and put his hands in his pockets.

"Whoops, sorry little Grayson."

He was green. As green as her eyes. And his hair was shaggy and long. He was clearly the same age as all the other adults.

Mar'i poked his cheek.

"Um-"

Mar'i poked his stomach and he laughed.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

"I can turn into any animal it's like, my thing." Garfield Logan said with an easy-going smile.

Sarah clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Mar'i let's go inside so we can start okay?" Sarah took her by the hand and lead her inside.

The door closed behind the two of them.

Garfield looked to Dick. He had a joking smile on his face.

"What, you're like a billionaire and you can't afford condoms?" He laughed.

Dick rolled his eyes.

"Shut up Gar," Dick grunted.

Robin clicked his tongue. Garfield looked over at him.

"Hey, birdie." Garfield acknowledged.

Robin stomped off after Sarah.

"Still annoying." He muttered

"Still short!" Garfield called after him.

Robin slammed the door behind him.

Superboy stayed there sheepishly. He just wanted to go to bed.

* * *

Mar'i sat at the examination table. Sarah had given her so many shots she had stopped counting.

She laid on her front, her bare back exposed. Sarah ran her cool hand down the center of her back checking for she didn't know what.

"So... how long have you been on Earth?" Sarah asked.

"What time is it?" Mar'i asked.

Sarah checked her watch. "Eleven-pm."

"Approximately thirty-six hours," Mar'i answered staring at the floor.

There was a knock at the door and Mar'i leaned up. Sarah grabbed a blanket allowing her to cover herself.

"What?" Sarah asked.

Garfield came in with a hand over his eyes and a white box.

"Ya decent?" Garfield asked.

"Yes, she is. What do you want?" Sarah asked with a hand on her hip.

Garfield peeked behind his hand, to check. When he saw Mar'i covered he handed her the box.

"I knew your mom pretty well and I know she liked to eat. I dunno if you have like five stomachs as she did or whatever but, she did like chocolate so here ya go."

Mar'i blinked and opened the box. Inside was a bunch of little balls with the letter 'L' initial on them. She picked one up and examined it carefully. It was true she did not have five stomachs (neither did her mother; she had three). Mar'i had two and the only thing she had to eat in all this time was one orange.

She shrugged and put the whole ball into her mouth. Garfield and Sarah looked at her watching her reaction. Mar'is eyes widened and she stared at the box. She slowly swallowed the ball.

"Do you not li-"

Mar'i began shoving the chocolate balls into her mouth. One popped out but she caught it and shoved it back inside her mouth. Saliva mixed with chocolate dripped down her chin.

Garfield burst out laughing.

"You're gonna choke." Sarah frowned.

"You look like a chipmunk!" Garfield shook his head.

Mar'i swallowed and looked down at the box sadly. She cleared her throat suddenly embarrassed. If she was on Tamaran it wouldn't matter if she ate like that. Was this a bad first impression?

"Mar'i we're just about done-"

"I need clothes," Mar'i said interrupting.

Sarah blinked before looking her up and down.

"I mean I could walk around naked but I know humans have a problem with nudity." Mar'i blew a stray hair out of her face.

Garfield sniggered and took the white box from her lap.

"Your dad went to-"

On cue, her father had walked in with clothes folded in his hands. He handed them to her with an awkward smile.

Pink sweater, a blue flannel, and faded jeans. Dick tried to pick clothes that made her stand out the least.

She held the pink sweater out and grimaced.

"Is that my sweater?" Sarah asked.

Mar'i panned. "It's... lovely."

Garfield snorted and covered his mouth. Sarah sent him a glare and he stopped.

"May you leave?" Mar'i asked placing the clothes next to her.

"Oh! Yeah right!" Dick grabbed Garfield by the collar and dragged him out.

Garfield choked something out that she couldn't hear and the door shut behind them.

Mar'i began getting dressed. Sarah was writing something down and she glanced at her.

"Your starbolts are different colors?" Sarah asked.

"It depends on the level of power, orange is the strongest. Green is the weakest." She answered pulling on the jeans with a grunt.

Sarah was about to ask something before Mar'i let out a yell, in annoyance.

"I despise these! What are these?" She asked.

She finally managed to pull the jeans on and began stretching. Maybe they were uncomfortable cause they weren't in her size. Either way, Mar'i wasn't a fan of the material.

 _I hate pants._ She thought.

"They're jeans," Sarah said.

"I don't like them." She stated again.

Sarah nodded and sighed putting down her clipboard.

"Well, I think we're done here. Dick's gonna take you home, okay?" Sarah said patting her on the back.

"Is he nice? My father I mean."

Sarah thought for a moment. "He's fair."

Mar'i nodded. She didn't like that answer but she accepted it.

They walked to the door and Sarah opened it for her.

On the other side, Robin and Superboy sat on the couch, seeming to be in their own separate worlds. Dick leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes shut. Victor and Garfield talked looking at a computer. Sarah cleared her throat and they all looked to her.

Mar'i looked awkward but Superboy still gave her a warm smile.

"She's okay?" Dick asked looking at Sarah.

Sarah pushes her glasses up on her face.

"We'll learn more tomorrow, we don't have Wayne Industries type speed," Sarah said.

"Who's Wane?" Mar'i said.

"Wayne." Robin corrected.

"WA-EN-E." Mar'i said slowly trying to not let her accent butcher the name.

"Close enough," Dick muttered propping himself up.

"Oh before you go!" Victor said running out of the room to come back a few seconds later.

He held a black box out and handed it to Mar'i.

"Is it chocolate?" She asked hopefully.

"Oh no," Victor said.

Mar'is smile deflated and she opened the box. It was a black necklace. It had a small black shiny rock in the center. Mar'i wondered why she would wear this. She had her mother's necklace that was gold with red. It was her mother's favorite and it was much prettier than this.

"Is this for me?" Mar'i asked taking it gently out of the box.

"It's a hologram!" Victor said gesturing for her to turn around.

She did. She held her hair up so he could place the necklace around her neck.

"I made it for your mom a long time ago she only used it once. It makes you look more human, draws less attention." He hooked the necklace in place.

Mar'i blinked at looked at her hands. Still golden-orange.

"It didn't work." She acknowledged.

"Oh, you have to-"

Mar'i touched the middle of the necklace and she felt her skin go cold. She didn't get cold. There was a slight burn along her eyes causing her to shut them. After a few moments, she opened her eyes.

She turned to look at Victor. He stared at her. If his robotic eye could be widened it would be.

"What? Did it work?" She asked looking at Superboy and Robin.

They said nothing but nodded simultaneously.

"Hey, Dick she looks more like you now!" Garfield said sitting on the table pointing at her.

Mar'i rushed over to a mirror and looked at herself.

She no longer was a shade of golden-orange. Her skin was a light shade of black. Her eyes were still green but she now had pupils. Her hair was the same, she didn't expect that to change anyways. Her cheeks had light freckles scattered across them.

She touched her face pulling at it awkwardly.

"Weird." She said finally.

She didn't hate how she looked it was just foreign to her.

"You look nice!" Superboy choked out.

She turned around and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Is this what my mother looked like? The one time she used it?" Mar'i asked.

"Kinda, although she was much darker," Victor answered remembering.

Mar'i hummed. She peeked down her sweater and flannel to look at her bare chest.

_So it changes my whole body then... not just my face and hands..._

Dick cleared his throat.

"We should probably get leaving now... it's a long drive back to Blüdhaven."

Mar'i nodded. She walked over to Superboy and Robin who stood up straight at her presence she would have laughed at that, but decided not to.

"Thank you both for helping. I hope one day I can repair the favor." She said honestly.

"That is not-"

She cut him off by placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. He blushed with a somewhat irritated expression. He mumbled something in a language she did not know.

She looked at Superboy. She gave him a soft smile and kissed him on the cheek, near his mouth.

She gave them a small wave and turned on her heel towards her father. Her hair flew effortlessly behind her.

"We may leave now." She said with her hands behind her back.

He nodded and gestured towards the door.

"Bye, little Grayson," Garfield said with a wave.

She waved back.

"Do you have any chocolate where you live?" Mar'i asked.

"Uh, I can buy some," Dick said before letting the door fall shut behind them.

There was a beat of silence before Superboy broke it with a yell.

"Crap! I have to get back to freaking Kansas! I'm late! My grandma is gonna kill me!"

"Kent wait you're my-"

Superboy ignored Robin's requests and flew out the door, he took to the sky, booming off.

"ride." Robin finished.

Sarah clapped happily. "I'll set up the guest bedroom!"

The blonde hurried off.

"Guess you're staying the night birdie." Garfield taunted getting off the table he was sitting on.

"Shut up you insect," Robin yelled.

Garfield turned into a fly and flew around his head. Robin swatted at him missing him every time. Garfield flew off in the directing of his room.

Victor said nothing before heading into his lab.

"What were those tests for?" Robin asked him.

Victor turned around.

"Normal stuff. See if she's allergic to anything, Sarah gave her a few shots for measles and chickenpox and stuff like that." He shrugged.

Robin nodded.

"Your rooms ready. I laid out some clothes for you Damian." Sarah said handing him a bottle of water.

He took with a curt nod.

"Goodnight." He said simply before leaving into the guest bedroom.

As his head hit the pillow he was out like a light. He didn't really dream about anything (he rarely dreamt at all), however, he did remember thinking about Dick and how he must have felt right about now.

* * *

 **BLÜDHAVEN** ,  
 **5:26 AM LOCAL TIME**

The apartment building was run down. This apartment building, however, was what Dick Grayson had been calling home for a few years now.

Mar'i followed behind him. He fumbled with his keys, clearly nervous.

 _She's gonna think my place is a dump..._ he thought miserably.

"Is this one mine?" Mar'i asked pointing to the door.

He paused and turned around.

"I'm sorry?"

"Is this whole-" she gestured all around the door "area mine?"

He swallowed. "Um well no."

"So this building isn't yours?" She frowned.

"No."

"Oh... interesting." She inspected looking around the dingy hallway.

"Uh-huh." He said opening the door.

She walked in first. Dick closed the door behind him and switched on a light. She looked around the apartment seeming to find many things she disliked about the place. Still, she said;

"It is very nice."

He knew she was lying but he said nothing. Didn't want to start a fight on her first day with him.

The apartment was small (makes sense he lived basically alone). The kitchen crossed with the dining room and the living room. There was one bathroom down the hall and two doors directly across each other. She looked at the tiles in the kitchen.

They were a green mixed with white. She counted the lines that were in between each tile.

"I'm gonna get your room set up, really quick okay," Dick said nodding at her and going down the hallway.

Mar'i heard a door close and she stopped counting. She looked to the door to see a mirror hanging beside it. It looked old. She walked towards it and glanced down at her necklace.

She touched the center again and the hologram disguised her once more. She touched her cheek. Her skin didn't feel the same. It honestly felt like plastic.

"Okay, I prepared-" Dick stopped and looked at her.

She glanced at him through the mirror before finally turning around. Garfield was right she did look more like him now. He didn't know how he felt about that.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Do you think I look better this way?" She asked embarrassed.

Had he done that? Had he embarrassed her?

"I think you look nice either form you're in." He said honestly.

"When I'm like this... I think I should be called Mary. Considering I'm not really Mar'i and Mary sounds more... human." She touched the center of her necklace.

The hologram faltered. She was normal again. _Her_ normal.

"Mary... that's a pretty name..."

That was his mothers' name. He wondered if Kory really wanted to simply name her Mary, but on Tamaran that would sound too human so she had to change it _just_ enough.

He didn't make eye contact with her for a few moments.

"I have to get you in school... oh I have to get you clothes... oh I have to buy food like a lot of food."

It was hitting him all at once. She was a teenage girl. A princess no less. She needed food, and clothes and-

"May I go to sleep? I am very tired."

Dick snapped himself out of his small external crisis.

"Yeah of course!" He said.

She nodded and walked around him towards her new bedroom. She turned around for a moment watching him. He turned around and stared at her, back.

"Goodnight..."

"Yeah, sleep well." He said back.

 _God this is awkward._ He thought.

She wondered for a moment if she should kiss his cheek or something. Should she curtsy? Bow? Handshake?

She waved goodnight and shut the door behind her.

The room was nothing special. A room that she didn't know how long she would be in. It served her needs. Bed. Closet. Shelves. All were bare except her bed which had yellow sheets on them.

_First things first I have to take these... jeans off._

She practically ripped them off of her. She took off the horrid pink sweater and unbuttoned the first few buttons of her flannel. She looked at the window, the blinds were closed and she peeked through the flaps.

The Blüdhaven skyline, the sun was now starting to rise and it seemed as if the city was awake.

The city was awake and yet Mar'i was going to sleep.


	5. Issue #5

**WAYNE MANOR**   
**10:12 AM LOCAL TIME**

He was tired. Then again there wasn't a time Damian Wayne wasn't. He rubbed the back of his neck and shut the front door behind him.

"Dami!" He heard the happy cheer of his sister.

Before he could react the eleven-year-old jumped on his legs. He caught himself before falling.

The girl looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

Black long hair, a light tan complexion, and brown eyes. She just turned eleven a few months ago.

"You're back!" She acknowledged with a smile.

He yawned and rubbed her head.

"So you've noticed." Damian nodded.

"Oh, daddy's looking for you!" Helena said still swinging on his leg.

Damian sighed.

_And what have I done now?_ He wondered.

Damian walked to Bruce's office. Walk was a strong word, it was more of a waddle considering Helena _wouldn't let go_.

He knocked on Bruce's office.

"Come in."

Damian looked down at Helena with a passive look. Helena looked back with those big green eyes. Those green eyes that they shared.

"Helena I think he wants to talk to me alone."

Helena pouted and let go of his leg, sinking to the floor.

"I'll find you later," Damian promised.

"Okay." She smiled before skipping off.

He entered closing the door behind him.

Bruce Wayne's office was big and dark. There various framed pictures of his accomplishments on the walls. There were bookshelves filled with manila folders. There were three seats in front of the large brown desk.

His father stood at the Sash window.

Damian rolled his eyes.

_Must he always be this dramatic?_ He thought.

Damian cleared his throat. Bruce didn't turn around.

"Where have you been?"

Damian blinked. "What?"

Bruce sighed turning around finally.

The older man's hair was slowly turning white and his face reeked of tiredness. He was still handsome like an old aristocrat (Helena had described him that way once). Although he still had his strong build Damian thought age and stress made him look frail and much older.

"You haven't been home for practically two days Damian. And you shut off your com."

He decided not to say anything. He wasn't really sure what to say regardless.

"Where were you?"

_Oh, where to begin._ He thought.

"I had a lead on a case I was following it didn't pan out. Sorry I didn't call I was just distracted I didn't want to worry you." He said sincerely.

"You can't do that Damian."

"I know."

Bruce sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"What was the case?"

"What?"

"Nothing special, just a murder of a mob boss's son thought it might be connected to something else, it wasn't."

Bruce nodded.

_Does he know I'm lying... no, he can't know I'm too good of a liar._

"Helena said she wants to play with you by the way," Bruce said with a small smile.

"Well, I shall not keep her waiting then." Damian nodded and left his father's office.

* * *

On his way to find his sister he found Jason Todd in the library, he had a variety of books around him and he was taking notes.

"I didn't know you could read," Damian said announcing his presence.

Jason looked up and rolled his eyes.

"I didn't know you were back."

_I wasn't gone a week why is everyone acting as if I died again._

"Had a lead. Didn't work out. Got distracted." He said walking forwarded and picked up one of his books.

The Making of the Atomic Bomb   
by Richard Rhodes

"Doesn't seem like your type of reading," Damian observed.

"Just checking up on something need to know my facts..."

"Todd, are you trying to make an atomic bomb?"

"Fuck off you little demon." Jason grabbed the book back and rolled his eyes.

"I feel as if our conversations always end this way," Damian said with fake sympathy.

"Yeah I wonder why," Jason said going back to his reading.

Damian rolled his eyes and turned to exit the library. He paused for a moment and turned back around.

"Jason, can I ask you something?" He asked.

Jason looked up and shut his book. Damian only called him by his first name when he was trying to be sincere.

"Yeah sure."

"You know Koriand'r right? Starfire?"

Jason looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat.

"Uh yeah why?"

"When was the last time you talked to her?" Damian pressed on.

"I only really knew her as Dick's girlfriend. She was really nice though. She left Earth for a year then she came back... then she left again. And now she's gone again. Probably ruling that planet or whatever..."

_So she came back to Earth when she had Mar'i... interesting._

"Do you know why she left?"

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Why do you care?"

_I don't._

"I just... never mind." Damian turned to leave again.

"Damian-"

"I have to find Helena."

Damian shut the door behind him and continued to try and find his sister.

It turns out Helena was outside on the porch talking with her mother, Selina on the balcony.

Selina was still a beautiful woman despite her older age, her eyes were a soft brown and her skin a deep tan. Her face was slim and she always seemed to have a coy smile on her face. Damian liked that smile.

"So you did come home, good," Selina said looking up at him.

There was a breeze causing her white blouse to ruffle.

"Dami! We can play now!" Helena said getting up and rushing towards him.

"Damian when was the last time you slept?" Selina frowned and pulled Helena back.

Helena looked up at her mother with a frown.

"I'm fine." Damian scoffed.

"Go to bed."

"But Dami-"

"Your brother needs rest Helena" Selina scolded light.

Helena deflated, Selina tapped her on the nose.

"I'm sure Cass would be open to playing with you or perhaps Stephanie I believe I saw her somewhere," Damian said crouching down to meet the little girl's eyes.

Helena sighed and nodded.

"Good morning then I would say goodnight but it's ten am so technically that means it's still morning..." Helena kisses Damian's nose and skipped off to find Stephanie.

Damian let out a small laugh and whipped his nose. Helena got lip gloss on it.

"You're not hurt right?" Selina said inspecting him.

"No I'm fine... just tired... and confused."

"On?" Selina asked with her arms crossed concerned.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Damian said shaking his head.

"Go to bed Damian," Selina sighed tussling his hair.

"Fine..." he sighed giving her a wave goodbye.

* * *

He didn't dream, he never did. However, when Damian woke up it was six am.

"Damn." He said into his pillow.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at his ceiling. He rubbed his eyes. Despite his annoyance at sleeping in, he couldn't deny how good it felt to have his mind be completely silent.

He made a mental note that he should at least try and have a more healthy sleeping schedule.

_I need to talk to Mar'i..._

He grabbed his phone and hit Jon's contact.

It ringed for a couple of seconds before he heard Jon's groggily voice.

"Dude it's five in the morning."

"It's six in the morning."

"I live in Kansas dude it's an hour behind remember?"

He didn't...

"Sorry... how fast can you get to Blüdhaven?"

He heard Jon sit up and all the tiredness from his voice went away. "Ten minutes if I really hurry."

"Hurry."

"Why is-"

"Just meet me at the building across from Grayson's apartment."

Before Jon could ask anything else Damian hung up.

It should take him twenty minutes to get to Blüdhaven if he speeded and didn't obey traffic laws which he never did. It took him longer to get changed into his Robin gear than it did to get to the neighboring city.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**6:21 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Superboy unsurprisingly arrived first and sat cross on the roof.

"Please tell me we aren't spying on her that's so weird," Superboy said when he felt Robin's presence beside him.

"No, we need to talk to her."

"We? Why can't you do it on your own?"

"I think she might like you, or at least she feels more comfortable around you."

Robin glanced over at Superboy to see he had a small smile on his face as he stood up a little taller.

"Don't get cocky she's an alien princess and you live on a farm." Robin quipped.

"Oh shut up." Superboy scoffed at his friend.

"Do you see Grayson anywhere in the building?"

Superboy looked at the building.

"No."

"Great let's go."

Robin got out his grappling hook and through it. When it latched on outside Mar'is window he jumped off the roof and swung.

"I could have just carried you but whatever," Superboy mumbled following.

"Should we open her window? I mean that's a little rude." Superboy advised.

"What are we gonna do knock?" Robin asked annoyed.

Superboy knocked on her window and waited. A second later Mar'i opened her window with human disguise.

"Um... hello... you're both here... at my window which is-"

"Can we come in we have to talk to you," Superboy asked politely?

Robin took note of how some of his Kansas accent came out.

_Oh, so he thinks he's cute now._

"Oh of course." Mar'i moved aside to let them both in.

When inside Damian closed the window and shut her blinds.

Mar'i stood in an old Batman t-shirt with grey pajama shorts and bunny slippers. Robin assumes the shirt was Dick's... the bunny slippers he wasn't sure.

"Look," Mar'i said pointing to the bat symbol. "It's you!" She smiled at Robin.

Robin cleared his throat and bite back a smile.

"Got any Wonder Woman shirts? She's better-"

Robin hit him the back of the head. Superboy punched his arm.

"Don't be an ass." Robin scoffed

"You don't be an ass!" Superboy taunted.

Mar'i giggled and jumped on her bed. Robin and Superboy turned their attention to her.

"You two are funny." She pulled a pillow to her chest.

"See she thinks I'm funny," Superboy whispered to Robin.

"Statistically I suppose someone had to," Robin whispered walking towards Mar'i.

"You don't have to wear that hologram in front of us... if that makes you more comfortable," Robin said looking at her necklace.

"Would it make you more comfortable if I took it off?" Mar'i asked touching the rock.

"It doesn't matter how I feel."

Mar'i looked at him for a moment before she took off the hologram necklace. Back to her Tamaranean self.

"How are you adjusting? You got more clothes... that's good." Jon opened her closet to see four total outfits and two pairs of shoes.

"He got me some clothes yeah... but I've been stealing some of his shirts they feel nice. I like coaten."

"Cotton." Robin corrected.

"I like cotton." Mar'i sounded out.

Robin nodded.

"Oh! He also got me this!" Mar'i got up and ran to her wall.

She pointed at a Little Mermaid movie poster on her wall.

"Apparently it's a movie? He said it's one of his favorites and the movie made him think of me. I think it's pretty. Do you think it's pretty?"

_For someone whose English is their least practiced language she sure does talk a lot._ He thought to himself.

"It's really nice... me and Robin can show you the movie sometimes if you want," Superboy said flying over to her bed and landing on it.

"What's a movie? My mother told me about them once when I was young but we don't have them on Tamaran so I don't remember..." she suddenly looked embarrassed at her shortcoming.

"They're just moving pictures with sound-"

"Some of them don't have sound though but those are the old-timey ones." Superboy nodded.

"I understand now thank you." She nodded jumping back on her bed and pulled her stuffed animal to her chest.

"Did your mother or anyone say how long say you're gonna be on earth?" Robin asked her.

Mar'i shook her head.

"How long do you think you'll be here?" Superboy asked.

"I don't know... but someone will come to get me one day." She said brightly.

_But what day is that?_ Damian thought.

"Your mother went back to Earth after having you... do you know why?"

"No." She shrugged falling back on her bed.

Mar'i shot up and flew towards her window. She peeked through her blinds.

"Are you okay?" Superboy asked her.

"Yeah, I'm just checking for... Mr. Smoke."

"Who's that?"

"He's the homeless man that lives outside the building. He's got schizophrenia and something else. I saw the woman from down the hall gave him a weird look. I want to meet him he seems lonely."

Robin and Superboy were quiet before Robin said;

"You can't pronounce cotton but you can pronounce schizophrenia?"

Mar'i looked back at him. "It took me all day to learn how to say it right. I finally got it right when my father spelled it out for me."

"Are you and him getting along?" Superboy asked.

"We haven't talked that much really... I think he thinks I'm weird." Mar'i said sadly.

"I'm sure that's not true," Robin said.

"I'm not weird." She said to herself before flying back to her bed and falling on her bed again.

There was a knock on her door and she looked at Robin and Superboy.

"Shit!" Robin whispered grabbing Superboy and pulling him under her bed.

"Um come in." Mar'i said towards the door.

Dick gave her a smile and looked around her room.

"All your clothes fit well enough right?"

"Oh yes, thank you."

"Um okay goodnight, if you need anything let me know."

"Goodnight," Mar'i responded with a fake yawn.

He turned to leave then turned back around. He walked towards her awkwardly and she stared up at him unfazed.

"Okay, goodnight." He patted her head seemingly affectionately.

It was safe to say she didn't expect him to do that.

He turned around and left quickly.

"He patted my head," Mar'i spoke staring at the door.

Superboy and Robin got out from under her bed.

"We can talk to you tomorrow if you like... you look tired."

Mar'i laughed at Robin.

" _You_ look tired."

"He's of the night Mar'i he doesn't _get_ tired," Superboy said in his Robin impression.

Mar'i smiled.

There was a loud bang from outside and Robin looked out the window. A redheaded boy cursed and knocked on a door. It opened and he slammed it shut.

"New neighbor?" Robin asked looking at the building.

"How would I know?" Mar'i asked.

_Smartass._ He rolled his eyes behind his mask.

"Well, we shall be leaving you... alone... for now." Superboy clapped and pointed to the window.

"Okay, I shall walk you both out." Mar'i got up and walked towards the window. She opened it and pointed outside.

"Thank you this place is so big we would've gotten lost," Robin said staring at her.

She bites her bottom lip to stop herself from  
smiling.

"Goodnight."

Robin and Superboy nodded at her. Superboy flew out first.

"Sleep well." Robin nodded before pulling out his grappling hook and jumping out her window.

Mar'i watched from her window as the two heroes "flew" away.

* * *

**GOTHAM** **CITY**   
**8:32 AM LOCAL TIME**

The woman carried a plate of tea and cookies. All of them carefully arranged. Today she wore her pink swing dress with her white heels. She never wore the same dress twice a month but almost always she wore heels, whether it is her blue, white, red, or gold. She wore heels.

The woman reached the white door that leads to the basement. She balanced the tray in her right hand and grabbed the keys from her dress pocket. White door, white key. She remembered. She unlocked the door and began to whistle as she made her way down the stairs.

She reached the bottom step and smiled.

Her dolls were in their boxes along the wall. Each one with different appearances from the last. The only they had in common was their makeup. Porcelain. Perfect.

She put her tray down at the tea-table. She grabbed a remote from the table and pushed a red button.

All her dolls, three in total, fell to the floor except for one.

Margery.

She frowned and walked over to her box. Margery was leaned to the side of her box. Her makeup was smudged. Her blonde hair was all out of place. And she smelled. Smelled of rotten flesh and garlic. Her doll... she was dead.

The woman screamed and pulled the girl out of her box. She pulled the doll to her chest.

"Margery! Margery! Margery!"

_"Her... name... was... Lucy..."_ one of her dolls croaked out.

The woman looked over at her doll. Hilda. That was the doll's name.

She crawled over to Hilda. She leaned close to Hilda's face.

They were inches apart. The woman's face hid behind a white mask with rosy pink cheeks and lips shaped like a heart.

"I'll get a new doll, it's okay Hilda. New doll... I'll just get a new doll."


	6. Issue #6

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:35 PM LOCAL TIME**

Mar'i sat on the couch in her Tamaranian form watching tv. She flipped to random channels stopping momentarily to watch them then flipped again. She eats fruity pebbles from a white bowl.

She heard her father come from his bedroom dressed casually. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stopped in his tracks. He forgot she was here.

"Good morning." He nodded.

She waved her spoon.

"What time did you wake up?"

"A few hours ago I think I'm still on Tamaranian time..."

He nodded and rubbed his face. He stretched which caused his shirt to lift. She noticed fresh bruises on his stomach and frowned.

_Don't ask... you don't want to know._

"Did you sleep well?" Dick asked walking over with a blue mug of coffee.

"Yes very well thank you." She smiled.

"I have a friend coming over and she's going to talk to you, we're gonna get you enrolled into school and everything." Dick nodded.

"I should get dressed then..." Mar'i said putting down her bowl and rushing to her room.

"Do I need to be human for this?" She shouted pulling on a pair of grey sweatpants.

"Um... it's up to you." Dick shouted back.

She pulled on a black turtle neck. As she was about to exit her room she glanced over at her nightstand. Her mother's necklace laid prominently.

She walked over and it picked it up admiring it. She put the necklace on and tucked it on the inside of her turtle neck.

She exited her room to see Dick doing dishes.

"So who's this friend?" Mar'i asked.

"Her name is Barbara I've known her for a really long time, we're close." He said not looking at her.

There was a knock on the door. Dick dropped the plate he was washing into the sink causing water and soap to splash all over him. Mar'i looked at him with a blank expression and handed him a towel.

"Oh my god, I got soap in my eye."

There was another knock at the door.

"Um, I'll get it," Dick said walking towards the door still somewhat embarrassed.

Mar'i shrugged and continued to sit on the couch.

"Okay Dick I'm here can you please explain what's going on?" A female voice said.

"You have to promise not to laugh or yell at me."

"No."

"Okay."

Mar'i peaked over the couch to see a woman with red hair and pale skin roll into the apartment. She had blue eyes and a black laptop in her lap. Her wheelchair was standard, black wheels. She had a black bookbag hanging off one of the arms.

The woman glanced at her and Mar'i shrank back into the couch.

"Hi there." The woman said wheeling closer.

Mar'i suddenly felt very self-conscious about the way the woman was looking at her. The woman was examining her. If she found something she _disliked_ about Mar'i the woman didn't let it show on her face.

"Mar'i she doesn't bite say hi," Dick assured his daughter.

"Hello." Mar'i greeted.

There was a beat of silence.

"Mar'i there's a folder in my room with a bunch of papers in it. Can you go get it for me? It's on my bed." Dick smiled.

"Oh okay." Mar'i nodded and ran off towards his bedroom.

Mar'i opened his bedroom door and grabbed the folder. She looked inside and saw various papers. One read Island Point High School, another read Avalon High. The girl turned around towards the door again but then she frowned and heard whispering.

"How old is she?"

"Fifteen."

"So that means-"

"Yes, I was twenty-one."

"Oh my god-"

"Babs you said you wouldn't do anything!"

There was a beat of silence.

"She's cute..."

"Thank you?"

Mar'i pushed open her father's bedroom door putting an end to the conversation. She handed the folder to Dick.

"Thank you." He smiled she nodded.

She turned to Barbara and clasped her hands in her lap.

"Would you like anything? We have water... that's it. We have water."

Barbara laughed and shook her head.

"No thanks."

Mar'i nodded and sat down at the table.

"So I'm guessing we're making you a new identity? Considering you know you weren't born here... so therefore you don't exist."

Mar'i didn't say anything.

"So... let's get started!" Barbara pulled out two laptops from her book bag and set them up.

"Date of birth?"

Mar'i thought for a moment. "August... 12th... Tamaran has different months than here I believe."

Barbara nodded and typed that down.

"Hm about your name... should it be changed Mar'i sounds kinda alien..."

Mar'i nodded

"It can be changed to Mary" Mar'i nodded.

"You want a middle name?"

"What's a middle name?" Mar'i pondered.

"It's the name between your first name... and your last name... so middle." Dick made hand motions when he talked she noticed.

"Okay... what should my middle name be then?"

"Luana!" He smiled.

"Pretty, Mary Luana Grayson..." Barbara began typing very quickly.

"Luana?" Mar'i asked looking at her father.

"Well, I assumed you were named after my mother and your grandmother on your mother's side was named Luand'r..."

Mar'i smiled.

"Okay if anyone asks you're from Lost Springs, Wyoming." Barbara nodded.

"What about her accent screams Wyoming?" Dick laughed.

"Lost Springs is the second smallest town in the U.S."

"Why do you know that?"

"What's a Wyoming?"

Dick groaned into his hands and Barbara laughed.

"Okay, fine dick where do **you** want her to be from?!" Barbara pushed the laptop near Dick.

He looked at Mar'i before typing something.

"Well, I guess the closest equivalent to your accent is... damn I don't know..."

Mar'i smiled awkwardly.

"Let's say a country no one knows. They won't ask questions then."

"Curaçao," Barbara said pushing the rim of her glasses up her nose.

"Okay so C-"

"Give me that," Barbara said taking her laptop back.

After a few more questions and a lot more typing, they seemed to be close to finishing.

"Mary Luana Grayson now is officially recognized by the U.S government," Barbara announced dramatically hitting a key.

"What we did... is that legal?"

"No." Dick and Barbara responded.

"Ah." Mar'i clapped in understanding.

Dick snorted.

"You owe me so much for this," Barbara whispered to Dick with a frown.

"Yeah yeah." He waved off.

"I'm hungry," Mar'i said getting up and walking towards the fridge.

"How many stomachs do you have again?" Barbara asked amused.

"More than you."

Mar'i heard giggling from out the apartment window. She peeked through the blinds.

The red-headed boy from last night was talking to a girl with dark black skin. His arm was around her shoulder and her face was close to his.

The boy looked up and Mar'i stepped back

"So am I to have tutoring? On Tamaran I had tutors am I going to have that here?"

"Uh yeah you're gonna go to school... mostly because if people find out a teen girl is living here and _not_ going to school... yeah that won't go well."

"Oh, I see..." Mar'i nodded.

"High school isn't that bad besides you're a pretty girl so you'll make friends easily," Barbara noted.

"Friends! That is exciting I didn't have many friends back on Tamaran."

She never had many interactions with people her own age. Mar'i had only her handmaidens to keep her company. And as much as Mar'i wanted to believe they were friends... they were not. She used to have a cousin to play with but he was sent away when she was only six.

"First we should make sure you're adjusted before ya know... having you around other people."

She frowned. She was a social person she couldn't just stay here and do nothing... she would lose her mind.

"It won't be that bad... just a few weeks."

Weeks? Weeks are seven days. A week is a total of one hundred sixty-eight hours. 

She sighed and laid back on the couch.

"Fun." She whispered to herself.

"I'm good company I promise," Dick said leaning over the couch to look at her.

"Okay."

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:36 PM LOCAL TIME**

Her father had fallen asleep halfway through _Fantastic Mr. Fox._

She continued to watch the movie fascinated. He woke up abruptly and rubbed his eyes.

"Damn sorry..."

"For?"

"Falling asleep." He let out a small laugh.

"Oh... it's okay."

He smiled.

"May I ask you a question? It's about the people around the neighborhood."

He sat up and nodded.

"There's this redheaded boy that lives down the street? What's his name?"

Dick thought for a moment.

"Oh, you mean Colin. Yeah, he's a high school down the street. He goes to your high school actually. He's kinda... he's a troublemaker."

"Colin." She whispered.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I saw him enter the building across the street... I was just wondering that's all!"

He nodded.

All the lights in their apartment were off. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her closely.

"In the dark, you kinda look like the Cheshire Cat." He mused.

"The what?"

"Oh my god, we have to watch _Alice In Wonderland."_

He ran to his room.

_Colin._

She didn't know why she was so interested in him. She was bored is what it was. She didn't have anything to put all of her attention on...

"Okay, so this movie is-"

_BANG!_

Mar'i jumped and Dick tackled her to the ground.

She let out a small _oof_.

"Uh-"

"Stay down!"

Mar'i blinked.

 **"Come on out Hood!"** A voice boomed.

"Damn it, Jason, not now," Dick whispered.

"Who's Jas-"

 **"Fuck off Fireboy."** Another voice said.

**"It's Firefly asshole."**

_I like fireflies._ Mar'i thought.

"Damn it. Damn it." Dick huffed.!

There was another explosion and suddenly quiet.

Her father stayed on top of her for a few more seconds before standing up. Mar'i moved to stand too but Dick shook his head.

"Stay down just give me a second."

Mar'i laid down with her hands folded, over her stomach.

Dick moved towards the window.

"Hey, Dickie Boy." A sarcastic voice laughed out.

"Jason no. Not now. Seriously I mean it you can't-"

"Do you have a lady friend over? Roy told me he tried setting you up with some chick?"

"Did you just say chick?"

"I'm youthful."

"If you say so... anyways leave-"

Mar'i grounded and leaned over the couch. She saw a man holding a red helmet. He had black hair that was a _little_ too long. His eyes were blue. They weren't as bright of a blue as her father's though... it was duller. Mar'i realized he was bleeding from behind his helmet.

"That looks like it hurts."

The two men snapped their heads towards her and she blinked.

"Who the-"

The man fell forward into her father's arms.

"Shit Jason you're bleeding!"

"Who's she! She looks young-wait a minute she looks like-"

"Jason shut up you're gonna talk and bleed to death simultaneously." Dick helped Jason to the couch.

"Mar'i get the first aid kit in the cabinet." Dick pointed to a kitchen cabinet and Mar'i ran off.

"She's a little _young_ for you isn't she Dickie?"

Mar'i brought back the first aid kit.

"How old are you?" The man-Jason- asked her.

Mar'i opened her mouth but her father looked at her seriously.

"Don't answer that."

She closed her mouth.

"Go to your room," Dick commanded.

Mar'i raised an eyebrow but she saw no reason to argue.

She turned to Jason.

"I hope you don't die on our couch." She nodded.

"Yeah _dying_ again would- fuck! Who taught you how to stitch Edward Scissorhands?"

Mar'i went to her room and shut the door behind her. Inside she can still hear their conversation.

"Seriously who's the kid?"

"I'll explain later."

"Tell me now, I wanna know."

"You wanting to know and having a right to know are two different things."

There was a silence before Jason said;

"You're a dick."

To which her father responded;

"I know."


	7. Issue #7

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**   
**12:31 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


For someone who could fly faster than a speeding bullet. Jonathan Samuel Kent could not drive to save his life. His grandma sat in the passenger's seat.

"Jon? Are you going to pull out of the parking lot?" Martha Kent asked.

"I'm just waiting."

"For?"

"Everyone else to leave."

"Oh for the love of-" Martha rubbed her forehead.

"Hey! I'm still learning." Jon defended.

"Jon I can just drive."

"No, no, no. I moved back to Kansas to take care of you... since Grandpa died and he used to drive you around. So now... I'm gonna drive you around..."

She stared at her grandson for a moment.

"So can you drive **_now_**?"

He took a deep breath and started the engine of the old red pickup truck.

The drive away from the farmers market as some country song that he didn't know played.

He thought back... back to how his grandpa and dad taught him how to drive.

_"Oh damn it!" Jon cursed hitting the brakes hard._

_His dad's glasses fell onto the dashboard, he looked at his grandpa through the rearview mirror._

_His grandpa was laughing. Hard. Tears were coming out of his eyes._

_"Sorry..." Jon blushed._

_"It's alright... just let's try again." His dad patted him on the shoulder._

_He grabbed his glasses and held tight to the bottom of the seat._

_"Grandpa I can't focus if you keep laughing like that."_

_"I'm sorry Jonny," he wiped a tear from his eye._

_"Okay let's go again..."_

_Jon accidentally hit the brakes sending them backward. He switched to the gas and coughed into his hand._

_"You're almost as bad as Clark!" His grandpa said from the backseat._

_His dad gasped. "I was not that bad!"_

_His grandpa leaned forwards and patted him on the shoulder._

_"Your dad almost crashed into the fruit stand when he started driving."_

_"Hey!"_

_"He also braked every three seconds don't let him give you a hard time Jonny."_

_Jon laughed and continued to drive back to the farm._

"So have any plans?" His grandma asked as the reached the farm.

"You're not gonna stay home and read those... oh what are they called?"

"Comic books?" Jon asked grabbing all the bags.

"They're the ones from Japan."

"Oh yeah, I do need to catch up on-"

"Hang out with your friends Jon."

_What friends?_

Jon didn't have many friends of the superhero kind. It wasn't the same as it used to be when he was ten. He wasn't as "popular" as he used to be. It wasn't that he didn't try! Oh, how he tried... maybe he considers two people his "friends" in Smallville.

Kathy Branden (his first kiss) moved away two years ago. Micheal Bradford (his old best friend) was too popular for him now. Although he still nodded at Jon in the hallways.

Kathy Branden, blonde hair, dark freckles, and a button nose that Jon always tapped to get her attention. She moved all the way to Star City.

Michael Bradford, black skin, puppy dog eyes, and a carefree smile. He was the quarterback of the football team.

When Jon was a freshman he thought of trying out with him but his dad didn't say that was the best idea.

"You go out. Have fun. Leave me alone to my Christopher Reeve movie marathon." His grandma waved him off.

"But-"

"No buts no coconuts!"

Jon sighed.

Krypto wagged his tail as Jon entered his room.

* * *

**GOTHAM CITY**   
**8:42 PM CENTRAL TIME**

Jon flew above the city looking at the flickering lights.

"Hi." A soft voice greeted.

"Ah!" He flipped around quickly to see Mar'i smiling with her hands behind her back.

She wore a white Superman shirt and jean shorts with blue sandals.

"Did you sneak out?" He asked.

She nodded with a sly smile.

"Um is that the best-"

"Oh calm down! I just wanted to stretch my legs... and I'm hungry."

"Ever have a chili dog?" Jon asked knowing the answer.

She shook her head and he smiled.

* * *

Mar'i, as it turned out really liked chili dogs. She ate about six already.

"These are the best!" Mar'i said scuffing down another one.

"Well, I'm glad to have introduced you to an earthling delicacy." Jon smiles and gave her a thumbs up.

"I have an uncle on Earth, his name's Jason Todd." Mar'i said bluntly.

Jon choked. He began to cough aggressively. He hit his chest and Mar'i looked at him concerned. He spits out the hot dog off the rooftop they sat on.

"Do you want water?"

"Nah, Nah I'm good... so uncle huh?"

Mar'i nodded at him and put down her chili dog.

"He seems nice... I think he's a superhero, like you and Robin. But I don't know he seems kinda..."

_Crazy? In need of therapy? Unhinged?_

"I don't know I'm not one to judge people on how they act. He bowed to me for some reason but I think he meant it as a joke. He left after a while. And my dad explained that Jason is his _adopted_ brother. I could tell they weren't blood-related they look _nothing_ alike!"

Jon wondered if Dick told her about Damian, Tim or Cass even about Stephanie. Probably not...

Mar'i sighed.

"Do you have any uncles or aunts?" Mar'i asked turning to him.

She crossed her legs and stood paying attention.

"Well, I mean... I have a cousin? I think she's a cousin... her names Kara. I don't see her that often though. I also have a brother? Okay, I don't know what he is but his names Kon. He's off Planet right now. But other than them I have no other family like that."

Jon decided not to mention his grandparents.

"Do you have any grandparents?"

_Damn it._

"On my mom's side, no. On my dads' side yeah I have a grandma." He kept it at that.

He was relieved Mar'i didn't press on.

"That's very nice." She said with a dreamy sigh.

They stayed silent for a few minutes.

"When I go back to Tamaran I'll be sure to introduce these to my people."

"Give me credit. I want all of Tamaran to think I came up with this."

She laughed and nodded.

"I don't have the money." A male voice shouted from below them.

They both looked down. The man behind the hot dog cart was on his knees.

In front of him was a man in a black costume. His mask covered his face but his eyes were large, red, and shiny. Around his waist was a belt with markings. What was the most obvious accessory was the large fire gun in his hands.

"Come on Jackie... you gotta give me something a mans gotta eat." The man with the gun laughed.

Jon looked back at Mar'i who was glaring. Her hands were green.

"So does my family Firefly I-"

Firefly hit the hot dog vendor with his gun.

Mar'is hands were now orange.

"I'll be back Jonny." She said sliding off the rooftop.

Part of him wanted to go after but the other part of him just wanted to see what she would do.

Jon decided to follow... but he kept his distance.

"It's very rude to hit people weaker than you," Mar'i said simply.

Firefly looked her up and down and Jon glared.

"Who the hell are you? I know you're not Superman girlie."

_Girlie? What is this the 60's?_

"I am not Superman. I am just a humble-"

In a flash, Firefly sprayed flames from his gun. It engulfed her whole body. Jackie, the hot dog man, screamed and cried. The man covered his eyes in sorrow. People looked in horror.

The flames stopped. Mar'is clothes were burned but still comfortable around her body. The ends of her Superman shirt were burnt off revealing her navel. Other than that... she was fine.

Mar'i looked at Firefly clearly annoyed.

People gasped at the sight of her.

"Right so my turn."

Mar'i let her hands turn orange. She grabbed Firefly by the face and he screamed in pain. Her hands flared up quickly then died down. She threw him to the ground and kicked him in the crotch.

He groaned.

"You will leave the chili dog man alone as well as everyone else. Or the next time I see you I will leave a more permanent reminder of my existence." She snarled.

"Yeah... got it..."

"Now fly you pathetic insect." Mar'i lifted him up by the throat and smiled.

"Okay, you have a nice day!" Mar'i threw him in the sky.

He began to fly away still clearly in pain.

Mar'i turned to the hot dog man.

"Sir are you-" the man hugged her tight.

"Thank you... thank you so much. You come back any time you want! I'll give you free hot dogs, chili dogs, popsicles, whatever you want, young lady! I owe you so much!" He kissed her on both cheeks.

People crowded around her.

"That was a very brave thing you did!"

"Are you a new hero?"

"Will you sign this?!"

"I love your hair."

Mar'i blushed and touched her cheeks.

"Um, me and my friend were talking so I have to go now. But I'll help you all if you require it!"

There wasn't a hint of mockery in her voice. She meant what she said. Every word.

"Do you have a name?"

"Mar'i." She answered.

"No! Like a hero name!"

"She looks like Nightwing don't ya think-"

"Night-!"

Jon flew and grabbed her hand and flew fast into the air.

"That was Superboy!"

"Is that her friend?!"

Mar'i waved back.

They stood on a water tower. One owned by Wayne Industries.

"I'm impressed..."

"Why?" She frowned at him.

_Cause I thought you were gonna kill him for a sec and you didn't..._

"It's just impressive how quickly you solved that problem... when I first started I probably would have messed up or something..."

"Thank you?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

He nodded.

"Nightwing... hm..." Mar'i hummed to herself.

"I wouldn't think too much about it." Jon shrugged off quickly.

She frowned but nodded.

"Sorry about your shirt." Jon apologized looking at her force-made crop top.

She looked down.

"Wanna switch?" She asked with a raised brow.

He shook his head with a smile.

"Yeah sure."

"Okay take off your shirt."

He blushed and snorted.

"Wow so smooth."

"I was always taught that it's best to show your flirtations up front so no one gets confused." Mar'i nodded.

"Ah... so you're flirting?"

She snorted and shook her head.

He waited for her to reply but she didn't.

Jon bit his lip before looking at her. "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded.

"Do you **want** to be queen?"

She looked up at the moon.

It was a full moon tonight. It looked somehow brighter to him.

"I don't know... it's what I was raised to do but I don't think I would be good at it. I would try and please everyone at once which would end up helping no one. Also, I think one day I'll just turn evil... I'll just be cruel and unjust and mean and I don't want to be like that ever. I just want to be true to myself but if that means not being queen I would be okay with that."

She looked at him suddenly worried.

"Is that selfish? I didn't mean for it to come across that way!"

He shook his head. "It doesn't sound selfish at all. Even if it did I think sometimes people should be allowed to be selfish ya know?"

"How so?" Mar'i leaned back and listened.

"Oh, I don't know I think sometimes people are caught up trying to show themselves in the best possible light that they forget themselves. They forget what it means to be themselves. So when people do things to take care of themselves, and to help themselves they think it's selfish. But I think that's okay... it's okay to be selfish once in a while if it means you understanding yourself and the people around you."

She listened. Which was surprising... while he and Damian talked and Damian always listened to him sometimes he would take control of the conversation. Not that, that was bad. Sometimes Jon really liked that. But sometimes Jon would think something he thought was really smart and didn't say it because he worried Damian would spit out hundreds of facts about why he was wrong.

Even if he was wrong now Mar'i wouldn't say it. Even if she disagreed she didn't show it. In fact, all she said was;

"That's really smart Jonny. Oh, I have to go home now! Thanks for the food! Tell Robin I said hi okay? Okay bye!"

She flew off so fast he didn't realize they had been hanging out for two hours.

Then he also realized she called him Johnny and _no one_ called him that... except for his grandfather.

_Hey, look at me hanging out with someone who isn't fictional, or my dog, or Damian. Good job Jon._

As Jon flew home he hummed a song.

**You would not believe your eyes.**   
**If ten million fireflies, lit up the world as I fell asleep.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stream fireflies by owl city


	8. Issue #8

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**12:27 AM LOCAL TIME**

The cold air felt so nice on her face. Being stuck inside all day was the pure definition of hell for Mar'i Grayson.

"Didn't your father tell you not to go out on your own?" Robin's voice came from behind her.

She smiled and bit her lip.

"Didn't yours tell you not to sneak up on ladies?"

"He doesn't get his chivalry from his father I can tell you that." Superboy laughed.

Mar'i turned around.

She brought her knees to her chest and smiled.

"Hello." Robin greeted.

"Hi!" She waved.

"How are you settling in?" Superboy asked.

She thought for a moment.

 **MONDAY**  
She stayed in her room. Dick had grounded her for sneaking out.

 **TUESDAY**  
She read thirty Academia books necessary to get caught up in public school. She tried human pasta. She liked it.

 **WEDNESDAY**  
Robin 'anonymously' dropped off Gotham and Blüdhaven villains. She read them all in one night.

 **THURSDAY**  
Mar'i and Jason Todd had a long conversation. He kissed her on the forehead and left through her window.

It was currently Friday.

"Nothing special." She shrugged.

It was true.

"Didn't your dad ground you?" Superboy asked her.

"He did! I still don't get _why_ all I did was defend the poor hotdog man. Complete double standards considering he goes out dressed in that ridiculous costume of his." She crossed her arms and poured it.

Robin and Superboy glanced at each other.

"What? Did you guys think I didn't know?" Mar'i asked amused.

She figured it out almost immediately. The obvious marks on his body, his strong build, and the fact that whenever Nightwing was mentioned on the news his physically tensed. All this and... Jason Todd practically told her.

An alley cat watched the three teenagers from below the building. Mar'i turned and stared at it.

"I want a dog or maybe a cat. Human animals are so interesting. All Tamaranean animals will kill you... well, maybe not the dragons..."

"Wait! You guys have dragons?!" Superboy yelled his voice excited.

Mar'i nodded.

"Holy shit! I want a dragon! Do you have one?! How do I get one?! Is it like in _Avatar_ where they have to choose you or..."

"They're pretty rare. They stay away from the cities and the palace. They're too big to domesticate. One of our queens had one long, long ago and the legend is that when she died the dragon took her body and flew off into the ocean where it drowns to the bottom. If you go into the lake and the dragon finds that you are unfaithful to the Queen or King it will snap up out of the water and eat you."

Superboy was listening with earnestness. His eyes were wide and he was breathing heavy. Robin was staring off. Mar'i didn't take it that he was even paying attention.

"Just a question. Has your planet learned that monarchies are a flawed system or no?" Robin said suddenly.

"Dude!" Superboy punched him in the arm.

Mar'i had a blank expression on her face. She shrugged and didn't even respond.

Mr. Smoke, the homeless man began to pet the cat. He suddenly screamed and looked at his hands.

Mar'i turned around alarmed. She jumped down from the building.

She dashed towards him and looked at him concerned.

She read that some people with schizophrenia don't like to be touched suddenly.

"Are you alright?"

"Cat... there's blood on the cat!" He showed Mar'i his hands.

Part of her expected there to be nothing and he was just hallucinating. Except there was blood and it was fresh.

"Did you see where the cat came from?" Mar'i asked him gently.

He shook his head. He then began to shake aggressively.

"Hey, it's alright. It's okay. I'm gonna get you some a cloth to wipe the blood alright?"

He nodded and was still shaking.

Mar'i flew towards the hot dog cart.

"Hello, Miss. Mar'i!" Jackie greeted.

"May I borrow some napkins, please? And a cup of water."

Jackie nodded. "Of course."

He grabbed some napkins and a bottled water.

"I'll pay you-"

"You don't have too I told you... you saved me it's not necessary for _you_ to pay."

Mar'i still felt bad for not paying. She flew back to Mr. Smoke and rinsed off his hands and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"It's okay, you're okay." She said sweetly.

"I'll be right back, okay sir."

He nodded and drank some of the water.

Mar'i grabbed the cat and looked under its claws. There was skin it was fresh.

"Cute cat." Superboy mused from behind her.

She jumped causing the cat to pull its paws away. It scurried into an ally.

"Mar'i the man is Schizophrenic he was probably just hallucinating."

She ignored both of them and flew after the cat. They followed.

"Here pretty kitty." She tisked trying to get its attention.

Mar'i looked for the cat next to the garbage cans.

There were white heels sticking out from behind a dumpster. She frowned.

"Ma'am... are you alright?" She walked closer to her.

_"Meow."_

The cat was sitting on top of the woman and was nibbling at her heels.

"There you are-"

A woman with white heels and a slick pink floral dress laid on the ground. Her eyes were shut. Her makeup was slick and perfect and must have taken hours.

Mar'i stepped forward.

"Don't touch her." Robin snapped.

She turned around and looked at them. Superboy's eyes were wide and Robin stepped closer to the woman's body.

"Maybe she's sleeping..." Mar'i whispered.

She knew she wasn't. A woman like this didn't get all made up to just sleep in a dumpster.

"She must have been dead for two days."

"But the blood was fresh."

Robin was silent and studied the woman's face.

"The person who left her made sure to be careful. It's obvious this was sympathetic."

"If she was dead for two days that means this blood-"

"Is from her killer." Superboy finished for Mar'i.

Mar'i leaned forward and grabbed the cat off the corpse.

"Good kitty." She whispered and kissed its head.

She looked at the cat closely. It was black and had to be a year or two old, it had one blue eye and one green eye.

"I'll contact the police." Robin ran off.

"Are you okay?" Superboy leaned over and pet the cat on its head.

It shut its eyes and purred.

"I've seen dead bodies before." She said sternly.

"Still this might be differen-"

"I'm not a child don't treat me like one." She glared.

"No that's not what-"

Mar'i turned and flew off.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He yelled after her.

She didn't turn around.

"They'll be here in- where did Grayson go?" Robin looked at Superboy annoyed.

"Um." Superboy pointed up.

"God damn it!" He yelled.

"What did you say?!" Robin yelled at him.

"Don't yell at me I literally didn't even do anything! She probably just went home." Superboy rubbed the back of his neck.

"We're gonna visit her come on."

Superboy grabbed Robin's arm.

"Maybe we should leave her alone... I don't know Damian it just-"

Robin grabbed his grappling hook and lifted up quickly.

"No one ever listens to me." Superboy huffed and stomped his foot.

He decided to stay to secure the crime scene.

•

The cat didn't like the bath she was giving him, (Mar'i checked to make sure it was a him). Even if it didn't like the bath he didn't scratch at her. He just stood eerily still.

"What's your name? Do you have a name?"

The cat blinked ignoring her.

"I'll say names and you tell me which one you like. Quasimodo? Augustus? Edmund? Gorvenal?"

"What strange names." Robin mused from behind her.

She didn't jump.

"Go away I'm bathing... Robin..."

The cat said nothing.

She huffed.

The _human_ Robin sat on the counter.

"Grab me a towel." She instructed.

Robin opened the drawer next to him. He handed her a blue fuzzy towel. She lifted the cat out of the sink and handed him the wet cat. Robin wrapped the towel around the cat and began to rub him dry.

"So what do you want?" Mar'i asked rubbing the cat's head.

"Superboy... Jon didn't mean to upset you whatever he said."

"Tim?" Mar'i pokes the cat's ear.

"No," Robin said sternly to her.

Mar'i frowned at him.

"Are you going to investigate?" She asked kissing the cat on the nose.

The cat meowed at her and shut its eyes.

"Maybe... it is interesting. How she was all dressed up like a 60's housewife. Honestly with her hair done like that she reminded me of Betty Draper."

She didn't bother to ask who that was.

"I'm going to investigate it with you." She pursed her lips softly.

He frowned at her.

"No. That is a terrible decision."

"But it's my decision nonetheless."

"Mar'i-"

"Dami."

He coughed. "Don't call me that."

"Why? Does it annoy you?"

"Yes."

"Oh well, that's too bad."

He resisted the urge to argue.

"I'm going to be helping you this and if you don't _want_ my help. I'll do it on my own. And I have a feeling my methods are a lot crasser than yours." Mar'i opened a cabinet and grabbed a can of tuna.

"Is this a bribe?"

"No!" Mar'i grabbed the cat and placed it on the ground.

It began to gobble up the tuna.

"Think of it as an aggressive suggestion."

Robin thought for a moment.

"Fine. But, after this, you are not accompaniment me or Superboy or **anyone** in crime-stopping."

"Roger." She saluted.

"Oh, I have a good name! Jin! Do you like Jin?"

The cat meowed and began to lick its paws.

"Jin it is!" She clapped and kissed its head.

Jin licked her nose.

Mar'i turned around and saw Damian looking her up and down.

"What?"

"We need to get you a costume."


	9. Issue #9

**GOTHAM CITY**   
**2:10 PM STANDARD TIME**   
  


Art class was the one class that he enjoyed at _Gotham Academy_. Recently though he was feeling creatively drained. In his free time, he had been sketching costume ideas for Mar'i. He hasn't shown her any of them yet but he had the idea in his head that she would hate all of them.

"Hey Damian, you okay?" Someone bumped into his shoulder.

He turned to see Mia Mizoguchi with a frown on her face.

Mia wore an apron and had her short black hair tied back. Which Damian thought was ridiculous. She had blue paint on her cheek overlong her freckles.

"Yes, why?"

She snorted.

"You've been staring at the aisle for like all of class." Mia blinked.

"I'm in deep concentration. I have to think of my masterpiece do you think Francisco Goya painted 'Saturn Devouring His Son' in a simple stroke. Do you-"

"Oh my god dude it's Junior art class just throw paint on the damn aisle." Colton Rivera grabbed his paintbrush dipped it in red paint and swung it at the aisle.

Damian stares at the paint. He was tempted to make Colton's auburn hair turn yellow but he bites the inside of his cheek.

"See. Art!" Colton gave him a thumbs up.

Damian looked over to see Colton had painted a stick figure family with a yellow sun in the corner.

"How did you pass Art I?" Damian frowned.

"My father made a good donation to the school last year." Colton shrugged.

"Hm."

The bell rang and Damian all but ripped the apron off.

"Have any plans after school?" Mia asked covering her painting.

"I know what I'm doing."

"No one cares what you're doing," Damian said to Colton.

He exited the classroom and glanced at Mia.

"Do you have any plans today?" He asked.

"Oh just study I have a history test tomorrow." Mia shrugged.

He nodded. An arm wrapped around his shoulder bringing him closer.

"Ya know Damian for someone so small you sure carry a lot of anger around. Do you want to talk about it?" Colton has pulled his head down to his chest.

"No," Damian said pushing away.

"I'm here for you man."

"Don't be."

Colton let out a small whine and Damian rolled his eyes. He jogged towards his car, a black convertible, and unlocked it.

He shut his eyes happy to have silence. He looked in the backseat. He grabbed a suitcase and sighed.

Jon and he had already talked about telling Mar'i who they really were.

It would make things so much easier... that and Damian wouldn't have to put on his costume _every_ single time he saw her.

His phone buzzed.

He opened it to see a message from Stephanie Brown.

 _Stephanie B._  
So. Are u gonna actually have dinner with us...

He texted back: _No I'm fine I'll eat somewhere else._

 _Stephanie B._  
Aw you're gonna make Helena sad :((

He sighed and decided not to text back. Helena this morning said she wanted to show him her new ballet routine...

"Oh my god, I'm such a bad brother." Damian slammed his head on the steering wheel.

His phone rang. He didn't even bother checking to see who it was.

"What?"

"Oh don't get mad at _me_ I'm the one who's been waiting for an hour outside Mar'is window like a creep!" Jon shouted so loud Damian held his phone a little far from his ear.

"Oh, so you didn't go to school then?" Damian started his car and drove out of the school parking lot.

"Cancelled. Teachers went on strike." Jon said nonchalantly.

"Oh..."

"So did Mar'i keep that cat?"

"Yeah. She named it Jin. Why?"

"Cause Mar'i is taking a nap and it's sitting by the windowsill staring directly at me."

Damian was quiet.

"What-"

"I think me and the cat are having a staring contest. If I lose it will be my greatest defeat."

Damian couldn't stop himself from laughing. He laughed harder than he probably should have.

"How long is it gonna take you to get here?"

Damian stopped at a heavy traffic light. "An hour if I speed I think..."

"Don't speed dude respect the traffic limit."

"Don't get snippy with me you can't even drive."

"I'm learning!"

"From your grandmother?"

"Yeah shut up!"

"I'm hanging up."

"Wha-what am I supposed to do for an **hour**?!"

Damian shrugged but then realized Jon couldn't see him. "Patrol or something I don't know."

"Ugh, you suck."

"Bye."

" **Uggggh** "

Damian was left alone with his thoughts in the car.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:59 PM LOCAL TIME**

It felt strange having his Robin costume on while the sun still shined.

"Oh my god, finally dude." Superboy rubbed his eyes.

"Have you been staring at that cat for an hour?" Robin frowned.

"Shut up let's just knock on her window."

Superboy looked through Mar'is window to see she was gone. As was her cat.

"We can wait-"

Robin took a tool out of his utility belt. He pushed it against the sill of her window and pushed her window up.

Superboy grabbed his cape. Robin looked down to see his feet dangling beneath him.

"This is breaking and entering."

"We haven't broken anything." Robin droned.

"Don't act smart."

"You know how painful that is for me."

 _"Get rid of the cat!"_ Said a tired voice inside.

 _"I just don't understand!"_ Said a gentle voice.

Both boys looked inside and then back at one another.

They slowly made their way inside. Mar'is bedroom door was creaked open Robin and Superboy leaned over one another to see what was happening.

Mar'i sat on the couch and Dick sat on the living room table. Jin the cat laid sprawled out on the ground in the afternoon sun. Dick rubbed his forehead Mar'i had her arms crossed but she didn't look hostile-just annoyed.

"Mar'i cats aren't allowed in this building!"

"The old lady across the hall has nine!" Mar'i threw her hands up in the air.

Jin got up quickly and looked towards her bedroom door.

Both boys looked down to see Jin staring at them. His tail flicked around him. He licked his paw and meowed.

Robin assumed it was to get Mar'is attention.

"Mar'i I can't take care of a cat."

"But a fifteen-year-old daughter is fine. Interesting." Mar'i leaned back into the couch with her arms crossed.

Dick began to pace back in forth.

"Oh for the love of-Mar'i I'm not having this discussion with you right now."

"You take having a child you didn't know about for fifteen years _better than_ a cat."

Jin meowed again and began to pull at Robin's cape.

"That thing was in the street he might have rabies-"

"I took him to get shots."

"How did you pay for that."

Mar'i stared and Dick slammed his hands on the living room table. Mar'i didn't flinch.

"Did you steal my wallet?!"

"It's not stealing if I give it back." She noted.

"Oh my God." Dick rubbed his face.

Jin laid on his back and hit Robin's cape with his feet.

 _"Pretty kitty,"_ Superboy whispered.

Robin shushed him.

"Mar'i you can't just take my wallet." Dick sighed.

He was sitting on his knees in front of her. Mar'i has no emotion on her face she simply turned her head to the side and stared. Big green eyes meeting soft blue eyes.

"I don't want to fight with you okay. I don't know how long you're gonna-"

"I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience I promise when I go home I never will speak to you again." Mar'i pushed him away from her. She walked towards her room.

"That's not fair! If I knew you had existed I would have-"

"What? You would have done **what**?" Mar'i turned around. Her hair was on fire.

Robin was worried it was gonna set off the sprinklers. Mar'i patted her hair down and the flames went out.

"I would have... I wouldn't have just left you alone..."

"I wasn't alone I had my mother."

Dick rubbed his neck awkwardly.

"And I had my _uncle_ and I had tutors and I had a close bodyguard and handmaidens... I was never alone even when I wanted to be."

Mar'i turned and closed her bedroom door.

She leaned against the door, she let out a breath and rubbed her forehead. She turned her head.

Robin was holding Jin and Superboy was petting his stomach as the cat purred. The boys looked up at her.

She stared. They stared back.

Jin jumped from Robin's arms.

"How long have you two been there?"

"The whole time-"

"Not long-"

Both boys said unanimously.

Mar'i sighed. She picked up Jin and sat on her bed. The cat stretched in her arms and fell asleep.

"So-"

"It's rude to eavesdrop I expect more from the both of you."

Superboy pouted.

Robin threw his notebook at her and she caught it with one hand.

 _Good reflexes._ He noted.

She opened it and saw the costumes he had drawn for her.

"Why are you showing me this?"

He panned. "They're your costumes..."

"Oh. You were serious?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Oh."

She closed the notebook and put it on her nightstand. Robin looked at his notebook and back to her several times.

"I'll look at it when you're not here."

"But-"

"I don't want you staring at me while I look that's awkward... besides I thought of something."

"Of what?" Superboy asked as Robin grumbled to himself.

_I make her costumes and I've been stressed all day for nothing. I swear to-_

"About that girl, we found in the ally? She reminded me of a doll. I don't know it's just what I thought she looked like- but maybe the person who killed her dressed her up to look like a doll. Also, I noticed how fragile her makeup looked. I took my dad's computer to look further into it."

"First you take his wallet then his laptop what's next?" Robin asked her as she pulled Dick's laptop from under her bed.

"Probably his shirts," Mar'i said not looking up.

Jin jumped off the bed begrudgingly and moved towards the window sill. Mar'i patted two spots on either side of her.

They sat next to her. Robin on her right and Superboy on her left.

She pulled up an old news tab.  
  


_"THE INFAMOUS ROSEMARY DOLLS SCANDAL"_

Rosemary Dolls is a line of dolls that were started in 1925 and stopped being in production in the mid-1980s. The company set up a contest for young girls to send letters for the chance of a doll being based on them.

However the companies Sandra Brick was not expecting so many letters from young girls with disturbing ideas for dolls.

One girl wrote that she wanted a doll with an ability not to speak. The girl wrote that she wanted a doll with the backstory of "being touched in secret places" the girl later in the letter wrote that when the doll was touched it made her stop talking.

Now, imagine that letter but multiplied by thousands and thousands.

It was then that the company shut down from a large outcry from the public. Although it wasn't the company's fault whenever someone saw "Sedentary Susan" or a "Radiant Ruby" they could only think of those letters from little girls.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 1984.  
  


The room was silent.

"Radiant Ruby?" Damian asked.

"The company was founded on teaching girls good manners. Each doll had a personality and backstory."

"Hey wait I think my grandma has one of these in the attic," Jon said pointing to a doll with black hair and blue eyes.

"Classy Carly." Mar'i read aloud.

"Wait click on that one." Damian pointed to the screen.

Mar'i clicked on the one he was pointing at.

"Happy Hilda. Born in a small tavern Hilda always keeps a positive attitude no matter what. With her blonde hair and bright smile, Hilda knows things will always get better and she will always know her place in the world. Created in 1956."

The Happy Hilda doll has blonde hair and a painted-on smile. Her skin was pale white but her cheeks had pink blush. She wore a pink dress with a bow on the front as well as white heels.

"Hilda's the girl we found in the alley," Superboy noted.

That went without saying...

"There are more girls," Robin said sternly getting up.

"How do you know that?" Mar'i asked.

"This is an obsession. She took such care of this one girl and made her dress up like a doll. This woman isn't gonna stop until she has her full collection of dolls."

_Stupid you should have been researching this. You have the worlds smartest computer and Mar'i found this out with a damn Google-_

"How do you know it's a woman?" Superboy asked taking the laptop and looking at more pictures of dolls.

"The care that was taken with the body. The dolls were marketed towards girls so it's just a good bet."

"We don't know how many girls she has. We need to figure that out."

"No we need to figure out who's she's going after next. She just lost a doll she's going to want a replacement." Mar'i grabbed a pillow and pulled it to her chest.

She was right and both of them knew it. But they also knew that it was impossible to track down who was going to be taken next. Gotham and Blüdhaven were far too big and they didn't have that type of time.

"I'll find out more about her death at the morgue."

Mar'i turned to him and glared.

"You haven't done that already?"

_I've been busy drawing you costumes that you refuse to look at in my presence._

"I haven't had the time."

She sighed.

There was a knock on her door.

Robin and Superboy dived on the opposite side of her bed. Mar'i propped herself up on her elbows.

"Come in." She said softly.

The door opened and Dick Grayson looked prepared. Like he had a whole speech in his head.

"Okay, I'm new at this. I've never had a kid before and I know how to take care of a twelve-year-old boy but that's not the same because you're a fifteen-year-old girl and comparing you to him wouldn't be fair to you at all."

Robin froze.

_Why are you dragging me into this? God damn it, Dick._

"And I'm still sorry that I didn't know you existed and I'm sure your mother had good reasons to keep you away. You're a great girl and she did a good job raising you."

Damian heard Mar'i shift on her bed.

"Look I don't... I don't want you to hate me."

"I don't hate you," Mar'i said.

Damian looked to see Dick's feet moving towards her.

"Good cause that would... suck."

_You have such a way with words._

"I want to make up with lost time with you. I want to actually get to know you... I don't want you to just go back home and I have to pretend I don't have a daughter out there in the universe." Dick's voice sounded very regretful.

"You're short," Mar'i said suddenly.

"Wha-"

"It's funny because you're exactly how I pictured you to be honest... except for the fact that you're short."

Robin realized how awkward Mar'i could be.

She may be a princess and act like one but really she was an awkward teenage girl. No different from the Earth girls or the Martian girls.

"I'm glad I live up to your expectations."

"You're better because now I actually know you're... real and not just this childhood fantasy."

Damian knew Dick blushed at that.

Dick cleared his throat.

"Okay. I have some errands I need to run."

"Okay."

"Can I have my laptop back?"

There was a silence and Mar'i slides the laptop towards him.

"Thanks."

"Why were you looking up Rosemary Dolls?" Dick said.

"I was trying to see if there were any dolls like the one I had as a child back on Tamaran. It was my favorite when I was little and I'll probably never see it again." Mar'i let out a wistful sigh.

_She's a pretty good liar._

"Oh... ya know they have a factor in Gotham. Pretty sure it's locked up though."

Mar'i hummed nodding along.

"I'll see you later okay?"

"Okay," Mar'i said.

The door closed.

"We have to visit that factory!" Superboy jumped up.

Jin hissed at him and Superboy put his hand on his chest shocked.

"We'll go tomorrow night," Robin advised.

"I don't think a costume can be made that quickly."

"I'll find you something else to wear for now."

He had to wrack his brain and think of _what_ could possibly have Mar'is measurements. He was sure she would want some skin to show considering she gets her power from the sun.

"Say goodbye Jin." Mar'i picked Jin up.

The cat hissed and tried to get out of her hold to attack Superboy.

"He doesn't like you," Mar'i noted.

"More of a dog person anyway." Superboy shrugged.

Jin scratched Mar'is hand. When she dropped him he rolled on the end of the bed. The black cat shut his eyes and flicked his tail towards the window.

"I think he wants you guys to leave."

"Well, we wouldn't want to upset the cat." Robin nodded.

They made their way out the window. Superboy going first. Robin turned around and she smiled at him.

"You will look at it right?"

She nodded. "I will. I promise."

He nodded and then swung out the window.

On his descent down he saw the homeless man sleeping with his hands crossed. He opened his eyes and waved at Robin. Robin waved back.

* * *

**GOTHAM**   
**4:25 PM LOCAL TIME**

The dolls sat in their proper seats.

Margery. Ruby. Kate. Sarah. There was one seat left, however. That was Hilda's seat. It had yet to be filled.

The woman poured the tea from the teapot. Margery opened her mouth and the woman shoved a cookie in her mouth. Margery waited for the cookie to dissolve.

They had one function to open their mouths and close them. The dolls could not swallow.

"Don't worry I know you all miss Hilda I do too. But don't worry I found a new replacement and she'll be home soon."

If Sarah's eyes could widen they would have.

Ruby began to feel her arm again. Her hand spasmed and the teacup fell from her perfectly manicured hands.

"Oh, Ruby you're so clumsy." The woman laughed and pulled a needle from her red and white checkered apron.

She held down Ruby's arm and injected a liquid into the girl's veins.

Ruby's arms did stop moving after a few moments.

She smiled behind her mask.

"Okay now. Who would like a cucumber sandwich?"

None of them responded. They couldn't.

"Can't way them all. I have to watch my figure and all."

She displaced them all equally between the dolls. She began to eat.

A new doll. Oh, how excited she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think we all know jin the cat is the best character here


	10. Issue #10

**GOTHAM CITY**  
**11:20 PM LOCAL TIME**

To him, Gotham was the bleakest city on the planet. While the sun was always shining during the day the city would go weeks without it. Considering Mar'is power relied on the _sun_ Superboy considered she was fresh out of luck.

_Maybe she could go towards the sun when she needed it? Could Mar'i breathe in space? Maybe-_

"Superboy are you even listening to me?" Robin asked him.

"What?" Superboy shook his head slightly.

Robin sighed. Mar'i snorted into her hand.

The trio stood outside the abandoned Rosemary Dolls warehouse.

Mar'i tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Superboy glanced at her. Her "costume" was interesting. It was all black. Black biker shorts and a black tank top. A black fanny pack around her waist. She wore grey tennis shoes.

Earlier she tried pulling her hair into a ponytail but the hair band broke.

"What?" Mar'i looked at him with a laugh.

"Nothing." He smiled and shook his head.

"As I was saying. The building is three layers. I was thinking Mar'i and I take the first two and you take the upper level."

"What? Wouldn't it be easier if we all just take a level?"

"Robin's worries I'm gonna burn down the building if I'm alone," Mar'i said in a cynical voice.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it."

"Okay, I'll take top-level... I guess I'll shout if I find something?"

"Right. Come on then." Robin ran off and opened the front door.

"Have fun." Mar'i giggled and flew off after him.

"Oh yeah, nothing more fun than going into a cold abandoned building. Maybe we'll find human girl dolls. Maybe I get turned into a doll. Who knows?"

Superboy flew up and opened a window. He flipped himself inside.

The factory (as he expected) was cold. As well as dusty.

The room he was in seemed to be an office. He walked towards a bookshelf and grabbed one of the books.

He flipped to a random page. He sighed and put it back.

"Who's office even is this?"

He looked at the tag name.

 **Joseph** **Jennings** **III**

"Must be the CEO's office."

He saw a computer on the desk and moved the mouse.

_PASSWORD_  
___________

"Oh shit."

He began to rummage around the desk.

"Come on he JJ the Third you must have written this shit down."

He flipped through a notebook. He stopped to read it.  
  
  


_DAY 32_ March. 12th.

_What I'm doing is wrong. I know that but I've been so lonely since Janet left._  
  


Superboy stopped reading.

"His wife's name was Janet. And he was Joseph Jennings? What was their kid named something with a 'J' too?" Jon shook his head and continued to read.  
  


_Jill looks so much like her mother. So much at such a young age. It's distracting. Am I a bad person?_

_Maybe._  
  


Superboy continued to read and shut the notebook.

"Oh god damn it."

He continued to flip through the pages. At the very end, he found the password for the computer and typed it in.

There were old files, simple business transactions. Music files (songs from the eighties). He sighed.

"Okay, no child porn thank God."

"What was that?"

Superbly jumped and looked to see Robin and Mar'i standing at the door.

Superboy said nothing and threw the notebook at Mar'i.

She frowned and opened it. She began to read, Robin, reading over her shoulder.

"Oh." That was all Mar'i said.

"Is that his computer?" Robin asked walking over.

"Yeah, I think it's just regular stuff. I haven't found anything-"

Damian took something from his utility belt and plugged it into the computer.

"I doubt this guy kept-" Superboy looked at Mar'i who was busy reading the man's notebook.

"Child porn on his laptop."

"Thanks for whispering that last part," Robin said monotoned.

"Time to go," Robin said unplugging his device.

"Where are we going?" Mar'i asked

"There's a diner a mile from here," Robin said.

"Which is great. I need coffee." Robin shut down the computer.

"I heard that coffee stunts growth," Superboy scratched his head with a faux-innocent tone.

Robin grunted and moved towards the window.  
  


* * *

**PAUL'S DINER, GOTHAM CITY**  
**12:32 AM IN LOCAL TIME**  
  


This must have been a weird sight. A girl with golden skin and pupil-less green eyes. A boy with a blue spandex costume and another boy with a red-gold-green costume with his good up. If the waitress thought this was indeed weird she didn't say anything.

Maybe she was working a long shift and she just didn't have the energy.

She poured Robin a cup of coffee.

The woman had red hair and looked to be in her early forties.

Mar'i ordered a chocolate shake and Superboy a strawberry shake.

Mar'i took a sip of her shake.

"You should have ordered a vanilla shake. These are pretty good." Superboy said.

"Pass," Robin responded drinking his coffee.

"Do you want sugar dear?" The woman asked.

"No, ma'am."

She nodded and walked away.

Robin pulled out a hard drive from his pocket. He placed it on the table.

"How old is this Jennings man now?" Mar'i asked sipping her shake.

Superboy sat next to Robin on one side of the booth. Mar'i on the opposite side.

"He was in his late forties when he ran the company so... probably in his late eighties? That's saying if he's even still alive." Superboy leaned back in his seat.

"He's dead," Robin said looking at a cellphone.

_Is that a Robin phone? Because I've seen his phone. He has a bat phone! A bane... I'm hilar-_

"How do you know that?" Mar'i asked.

Her question pulled Superboy out of his thoughts.

"Says here he died in a house fire. Well his house caught on fire."

"What do you mean by _that_?" Superboy asked with a mouthful of vanilla.

"His body was never found. His daughter Jill Jennings was the only survivor. She was twelve." Robin shut his "bat phone" off.

"Maybe she started the fire." Superboy rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I would if I was her," Robin mumbled to himself.

"Maybe we should check in on his daughter?" Mar'i suggested.

Superboy didn't even notice that she finished her milkshake.

"Mar'i this woman's forty now? She's probably a bored housewife. Besides what we even get from visiting her? Best to leave her alone." Robin finished the last of his coffee.

"You're a bad detective," Mar'i said.

"How?"

"I thought detectives were supposed to turn over **every** stone? Aren't you supposed to be like that British guy..."

"Sherlock Holmes. And secondly, a good detective knows what stones not to turn over. Did you look at those costumes I gave you?"

Superboy refrained from laughing.

_So defensive._

"Oh yeah!" Mar'i scrambles through her pockets.

She pulled out a folded paper and passed it to him.

Superboy leaned over with a raised eyebrow.

"You only picked one?"

"Yes. Why?"

Robin's jaw clenched. Superboy grabbed the paper and unfolded it.

The dress was one piece, the neckline handing lose off the model's shoulders. Its ballooned sleeves stopped just before the wrist, where they connected with silver cuffs that extended to the base of the hand. The shirt area stopped at the midriff, where a grey 'v' extended slightly up and around the waist. Below the waist lay a pleated skater skirt, a few shades darker than the shirt.

"That's really nice," Superboy said to Robin.

"It's fine." Robin huffed.

His ears had turned a light shade of pink. He put on his hood to cover it.

"It's cute! You should see the other ones that he drew... one of them was practically a-"

"Are we done? Can we go? Check!" Robin slammed his hand on the table to get the waitress's attention.

"I don't have any money," Mar'i said.

"Neither do I."

"That's expected," Robin mumbled.

He placed a hundred-dollar bill on the table and scooted out of the booth.

"No bat credit card?" Superboy laughed.

Robin gave him a look.

Mar'i floated out of the booth.

"I don't think any fabric will be able to-"

"Don't worry about it," Robin said as they exited the restaurant.

Superboy flew to keep up with them.

"Who's gonna make my costume? You don't look like the sewing type."

"I know someone."

Robin stopped walking and stared at Mar'i. She couldn't tell but he was looking her up and down. Superboy hit him the shoulder.

"That's creepy!"

"I wasn't doing it to be creepy! I have to guess her measurements!"

"What's happening?" Mar'i looked at both of them confused.

"Nothing. Superboys a _degenerate._ "

"You have the insults of an old lady. Are you gonna tell me to get off your lawn next?"

"Superboy. Take her home." Robin said getting out his grappling hook.

"Wait so-"

He was already gone.

_Great._

Mar'i stared at him with a smile.

"Hi."

"Hi." He said back.

She pointed to the sky and he nodded.

They flew back to Blüdhaven in silence mostly.

He didn't want to be in silence. Talking to her was so easy and simple. He wanted to talk to her so badly...

_Say something!_

"That costume gonna look really nice on you," Superboy said.

_Yeah, that doesn't sound sleazy at all._

She didn't take it as sleazy though.

"Thank you! I think I want a crown on mine. Cause' ya know I'm a princess."

He nodded.

They were in front of her apartment now and she pulled up her window and flew inside.

"You should **really** lock your windows." Superboy urged.

"Hm, why?" Mar'i took off her fanny pack and tossed it over on her bed.

She leaned on the window sill.

He crossed his legs and floated outside her window.

"Because people could open it and steal from you. Or ya know take Jin over there."

Jin, her cat, was sleeping on the heater on the floor. He purred in his sleep and didn't move to greet her.

"Jin can handle himself," Mar'i said to him with a laugh.

Mar'i looked at him. She squinted at him for a moment then bite her bottom lip with a smile.

"What's your real name? I know you can't go by Superboy **all** the time."

"You're right. Then I go by Jon."

She frowned and poked his chest.

"No, I already know that!"

"Well, that sucks for-"

Mar'i fired a star bolt at him. He dodged it and looked at her insulted.

"Humans have last names so do not lie!"

"Mar'i."

"Jonny."

They stared at each other.

"I can't tell you."

"That only makes me want to know **more**!" Mar'i yelled at him playfully.

Superboy's eyes widened. He put a hand over her mouth. Mar'i blinked.

"Kent. My last name is Kent." He whispered close to her face.

"What's your middle name?" Mar'i whispered.

"What?"

"Middle. Name."

Superboy groaned and bit the inside of his cheek.

"Samuel. And my whole first name is Jonathan."

"Jonathan Samuel Kent." Mar'i whispered to herself.

"Yeah, it's certainly a name."

She laughed.

"Well, goodnight," Superboy said already flying off.

Mar'i watched him leave before shutting her window.

* * *

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**  
**1:27 AM LOCAL TIME**

It was a good day he thought as he walked up to the driveway. The lights in the old house were off. He knew that his grandma was asleep. He rubbed his eyes. He picked up the welcome mat and grabbed the spare key.

He unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The lights were off. He walked to the kitchen. There was a sandwich made on the table. He grabbed it and took a bite.

The living room lamp turned on. He had never turned around so fast in his life. His eyes were red.

His dad sat on a blue recliner while his mom sat on the armrest.

"You're home late." Lois Lane said to her son.

He coughed on the sandwich.

"We need to talk Jon." Clark Kent nodded towards the couch.

"I was gonna go-"

"Sit!" His mom yelled and he sat down.

He sat.

"So. Let's talk." His mom got off the armrest and crossed her arms


	11. Issue #11

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**   
**1:35 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"So what's up?" Jon asked tapping his knee.

"You're coming home with us to Metropolis with us." She said to her son sternly.

"No, I have to help-"

"I already talked to your grandma..." his dad said while rubbing his hands.

Jon turned and looked up the stairs. The hallway was empty.

"Oh my God, she's dead!" Jon yelled standing up.

His mom fell off the armrest. His dad's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"What no!"

"Oh God, when did she die!?!?"

 **"She's not dead Jon!"** Both his parents yelled.

"Are you sure?" Jon squeaked.

"Y-yes we're sure!" His dad nodded.

"Don't scare me like that!" Jon yelled.

"We scared you?!" His mom yelled.

"A little!"

"Alright everyone stops yelling!"

"You just yelled Dad."

There was a beat of silence.

"Is everyone calm now?" Clark Kent asked.

Lois and Jon nodded.

"Jon you can't stay in Kansas your whole life. You moved with us to Metropolis before and you loved it." Clark put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"You guys are just gonna leave grandma here alone?!" Jon slapped his dad's hand away. "And we're not moving her into a home that is-"

**"Jon she's coming with us!"**

Jon blinked. He stared at both his parents.

"I need to go to bed," Jon whispered and flew up into his bedroom before his parents could say anything.

He closed his door and fell on his bed.

 _"I thought Martha said she wanted to stay here."_ His mom whispered.

_"I'm still trying to convince her... this place it reminds her of."_

Jon put his hands over his ears.

"Shut up, shut up," Jon whispered.

He heard whining at his door.

He got up and opened his door. Krypto ran in and jumped on his bed.

"No Krypto I'm not in the mood." Jon was about to close the door.

The door was ripped from his hand and he looked to see his grandma standing there with her hands behind her back.

"Um hi grandma you're up late."

"Your parents are loud." She shrugged and pushed her way inside.

"That sounds weird." He whispered to himself.

Krypto moved over to give the old woman move to sit.

"I got you something." She handed him a book.

He looked down to see a comic.

It seemed old probably from the fifties. The colors were faded.

Jon flipped to a random page and read through it.

"I know you love your comic books and I was at the market earlier this boy was selling these for ten dollars." The older woman sighed wistfully.

"Thanks, grandma." He placed it gently on his nightstand.

Martha Kent began to scratch Krypto behind the ear.

"I agree with your parents though, Jon you don't have any friends here. You just go to school and come home. And then **some** nights you fly to Metropolis and fight crime... Jon, you don't have a social life."

"Who needs a social life I have you." Jon threw up baseball in the air and caught it.

"That's sad." His grandma muttered.

"I'm fine."

"You're bored is what you are."

Jon rolled his eyes.

"So are you gonna come live with us in Metropolis or did they lie about that?"

"This farm... I love this farm... but I can't keep up with it anymore... it's also getting more and more expensive." She sighed. 

"I could get you money," Jon said catching the baseball with one hand.

"Jon you're not listening to me."

"I'm listening."

"Jon no you're not."

Jon sighed and hit his head against the wall.

"Go to bed its so late and you have school tomorrow."

"I'll skip."

"Hm. Come on boy." Martha Kent clapped her hands and Krypto jumped off the bed.

She brought his face down and kissed his forehead.

"Go to bed." She slapped his face gently and left. Krypto on her heels.

Jon grabbed his phone. He clicked the top number and waited for an answer.

 _"Yes?"_ Damian asked from the other line.

"I need to talk to you about something. It's important."

Damian was silent for a moment before he clicked his tongue.

_"Okay where?"_

"I'll just come to you it's faster. Where are you?"

_"I'm driving."_

"Pull in somewhere!"

_"Okay, I'm at some mall. I'll send you the address."_

"Okay bye."

_"Wait-"_

Jon hung up the phone.

He tossed his phone on the bed and rubbed his eyes. He was so tired he knew if he shut his eyes he would instantly fall asleep.

_Bzzz_

"Time to fly."

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**2:25 AM CENTRAL TIME**

He was wearing blue jeans and a black tee-shirt. Damian scratched the back of his head and sighed.

Jon dropped from the sky and landed next to him.

"Hey."

Damian didn't say anything.

"I need a favor."

"God, you didn't murder anyone did you?"

"No!"

Damian shrugged, "just checking."

"I need some money that's all."

"How much money?"

"I don't know."

Damian rolled his eyes and looked at him annoyed.

"My parents want me to move back to Metropolis..."

"Is that bad?"

"Yes!" Jon threw his hands in the air and got of Damian's car.

"Why?" Damian leaned back on his hands.

"It just would be."

"You lived in Metropolis before." Damian mused.

"Yeah but-"

"Do you think you're using your grandmother as a shield to not deal with your own problems, specifically about your grandfather's death?"

Jon glared at him.

"What are you a shrink?"

Before Damian could answer Jon said, "don't answer that."

"You're overreacting."

"Am not!"

Damian snorted and shook his head.

"I can't give you money when you can't even give me an amount. You're tired go home and go to bed."

Like always Damian had a point.

"Okay." Jon sighed.

"Okay."

"Thanks."

Damian nodded.

In a second he jumped and flew back home to Kansas.

* * *

**NORTH BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:32 AM**

"Come on Kat I'm tired let's go home." Candy said slapping her friend's arm to get her attention.

Kat flicked her blonde hair in the redhead's face.

"Fine just let me finish my cigarette first. You go ahead."

Before Candy could shake her head Kat pushed her away playfully.

"Go! The nights dead anyways."

Candy frowned, she moved to kiss her friend's cheek.

"Okay just finish it and come home."

Kat nodded and waved goodbye.

When her friend left she puffed the cigarette smoke. Others found the smell disgusting but there was something about it she found confronting.

A yellow convertible pulled in front of her and Kat rolled up.

"I'm off the clock!" Kat yelled.

The door opened and a woman got out. She walked towards Kat in white heels and a fancy yellow dress.

Her makeup was heavy.

"Oh I'm afraid I'm in the wrong part of town, do you know where 42nd street is?" The woman asked with a confused smile.

"42nd? You need to go all the way around and take-"

The woman stabbed Kat with a syringe. Kat's eyes widened and she dropped her cigarette.

"Shhh, it's okay! It's okay please don't scream."

Kat let out a sigh and fell. The woman caught her and pulled her towards the car.

She placed her in the passenger's side.

 **"Hey!"** Candy yelled and ran towards the car.

It was hard for her to run fast due to the height of her heels.

The woman got in the car and was driving off.

"Kat!" Candy threw her shoe at the car and it went through the rear windshield glass.

"Fuck!" Candy yelled as the car drove further and further away.

It was out of sight now.

"Help! Help me!" Candy screamed into the street.

No one listened and no one cared.


	12. Issue #12

**WAYNE MANOR**   
**20 YEARS AGO**

The large blue van pulled up to Wayne Manor. The statues of gargoyles looked older now. He remembered when he was a kid he used to be scared of them.

"For the record," Dick began "you all didn't need to come."

The rest of the Titans shrugged. Victor Stone put the van in park.

"Damn nice house Grayson... how rich is your dad?" Terra asked.

Her boot was on the leather seat and her short blonde hair was pulled back with a headband.

"He's not my dad," Dick mumbled.

"Jesus, Dick not this again." Roy groaned falling over on Wally's lap.

"When was the last time you talked to your..., not father..." Kory leaned over the seat.

Her chin on his shoulder blade.

"I don't even remember nor do I want to," Dick whispered.

"Harsh!"'Garfield laughed.

Garfield scratches the back of his head.

"I just need to grab clothes. You all. Stay. Here." Dick used his leader voice.

"You know I've been wondering. Why are you in charge? You're literally the youngest person in this car. Who elected you?" Terra asked crossing her arms and leaned forward.

"Terra you missed the vote, not your fault considering you **just** got here." Raven droned not looking up from her poetry book.

Garfield snorted.

Terra leaned forward in her seat and hit him in the back of the head.

"Ow!"

Dick sighed and shut his eyes.

"Dick's in charge cause he has the most trauma." Garth rolled his head on the seat.

"Be nice." Donna shushed.

There were three rows in the 'Titan Van' as Vic called it.

Vic always drove and Dick always sat in the front. The second row was Kory, Wally, and Roy. Then Garfield and Raven were smushed together in the second row which only had two seats. In the final row Terra, Garth, and Donna.

"Just stay in the car especially you Kor, Bruce isn't a fan of... aliens."

Kory blinked.

"Doesn't he work with Superman?" Garfield turned into a green owl and landed on Vic's head.

"That doesn't mean he likes him."

"But they work together..." Raven finally put down her book.

"Just because you work with someone doesn't mean you like them," Dick explained.

"Hey, Dick?"

"What?"

"Is there any of us you don't like?" Garfield turned into a bunny and hopped on Dick's lap.

Dick blinked.

"Donna make sure they don't leave the car," Dick said opening the car door.

"Roger." Donna saluted.

Dick shut the door and walked up the driveway.

"Which of us do you think he doesn't like?" Garfield asked.

"Probably you." Vic nodded.

"Fuck you he likes me. All of you like me."

The rest of the Titans stayed silent.

"Okay fuck all of you I'm so lovable!"

Dick sighed and grabbed the key under the matt. He unlocked the door and shut it behind him.

It was quiet and that made him uneasy. But on the bright side, he probably wouldn't have to run into Bruce.

He just had to go up to his room and get a few more clothes.

He ran up the stairs and heard music playing loudly. He stared at his front door. Didn't sound like anything Alfred would listen to.

_Did someone break-in?_

He opened the door quickly and tackled a smaller person to the ground.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

He realized it was a boy a few years younger than him.

"Who the hell are you and why are you in my room?"

"Master Dick!" He heard Alfred's voice behind him.

He turned and glanced back at the boy.

The boy was glaring at him.

Dick got off of him slowly.

The boy was about to attack him he only stopped when Alfred gave him a look.

"Who are you and why are you in my room."

"I'm Jason... and this is my room as of like two months ago..."

"Master Dick a word."

"No, one second Alfred."

"You're Dick right?" Jason asked.

His black hair was messed up and he ran his hand threw it. He was missing one of his bottom teeth and he had a blue bandage on his freckled nose.

"Yeah, why are you in my room?" Dick asked growing more irritated.

"What this is my room!"

"Alfred why the hell is he in my room?!"

"I wasn't going to set up a completely new room Master Dick." The butler shrugged.

Dick scoffed.

Jason put out his hand and Dick stared at him.

"Nice to meet you dude even though you tackled me to the ground."

"Alfred where are my clothes?"

"I put them in the coat closet."

Dick mumbled something under his breath and left his old room.

Back at the van, the Titans were growing more and more bored.

"Dude screw this! I'm gonna steal stuff." Terra leaned up in her seat. She moved towards the van's door and opened it.

"Dick told us to stay in the car." Donna frowned.

"Yeah I'm not gonna listen, any of you coming with?"

"I'll go." Roy shrugged.

"Roy!"

"Okay I'll come too," Wally zoomed out of the car.

"Wal-"

Slowly but surely all the Titans got out of the van leaving Donna and Kory.

"Kory come on," Terra gestured for her to move out of the car

"I don't know... didn't Richard say-"

"Do you do everything Dickie tells you to do?" Garth asked laughing.

She looked back at Donna who shook her head.

"Okay." Kory shrugged and flew out of the car.

"Kory no!"

"Guess will leave Donna in the car. Windows rolled up, heat on-"

"Fine, I'm coming!"

Wayne Manor had a diamond chandelier overhead. There was a painting of the Roman Cathedral. The ceiling was as high as the sky.

"Holy shit, they probably have real metal as their utensils." Terra laughed and began to look through drawers.

The Titans all began to look around.

Donna stayed at the door.

Kory walked over to Donna. Donna looked up at her.

She was so tall and she still wore heels.

"Have you been here before?" She asked Donna.

"Yeah, a few times. Roy has to but only in the ballroom."

"This place has a ballroom?!" Wally asked running off.

He came back with a wide toothy smile. "You guys this place is so much nicer than the Tower. We should live here!"

"I bet Bruce Wayne won't even notice us that's how big this house is," Vic said looking at a painting.

Dick came down the stairs. The Titans froze. A moment passed with them just staring at each other.

"Donna what the fuck-"

"I'm sorry they overpowered me!" Donna put up her hands.

Dick rolled his eyes. "Let's go."

"Didn't you want to get clothes?" Wally asked confused.

"Let's just go."

Dick walked towards the door. Jason came down a second later and stopped.

"Who's the kid?" Roy asked putting down an antic teapot.

"I'm Jason... I'm the new Robin."

All the Titans looked at Dick who's jaw looked uncomfortably tight.

"Woah, Woah, wait Dick's Robin though." Wally ran over to Dick and rubbed his head.

"He was."

"I am."

"He was fired," Jason informed.

"Oh is **that** what Bruce said?!" Dick glared.

"You were fired?" Raven asked taking off her hood to reveal her long black glossy hair.

"I quit," Dick informed.

"You still dress up as Robin though." Garfield scratched the back of his neck.

"Dude you quit and you still have the costume?" Jason asked scratching his bicep.

Dick mumbled something under his breath.

"So what are you, two brothers?" Terra asked looking at a golden plate.

"He's not my brother." Dick snapped.

Terra whistled.

"Is she stealing our plates?" Jason asked pointing to Terra.

"Hey fuck you replacement mind your own business." Terra snapped.

"Terra don't curse in front of the child!" Vic rolled his none robotic eye.

"We haven't introduced ourselves." Garfield bellowed.

"I'm Garfield Logan. The half Robot Guy is Vic, redhead number one is Roy, redhead number two is Wally, girl glaring at the door is Donna, that is Garth, blonde is Terra, the golden supermodel is Kory and... where's Raven?"

"She teleported to the library," Garth informed.

Jason leaned over and looked at Kory.

"Cool! A real alien!"

He ran over to her and looked up at her.

"Wow your like orange where are your pupils?"

"I'm gonna kill myself," Dick said allowed.

Donna hit him in the arm.

"Oh, I don't have any."

"Cool. I've never met a real alien before."

"Have you not met Superman?" Donna asked gently.

"No I have but you like **look** like an alien!" Jason said to Kory.

"Thank you?" Kory said slowly.

"What can you do?" Jason asked her.

"Um..." Kory made a star bolt in her hand and showed it to Jason.

"Badass." He whispered amazed.

"Yo is Bats around?" Garfield asked turning into a bat and landed on Jason's shoulder.

Jason shook his head, "he's at work, which might be good ya know he sucks the life out of the room."

Raven teleported back into the room.

Jason looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"That's Raven She also sucks the life out of the room," Terra said walking over towards the door.

Raven put her hood up and said nothing.

"We're leaving," Dick yelled frustrated.

He opened the door and shut it.

"Nice to meet you kid," Vic saluted.

The Titans all left following Dick out the door.

Kory flew to catch up with him.

"Are you alright Richard?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Richard-"

"Stop calling me that Kory it's annoying," Dick murmured to her.

She stopped flying and watched him get in the passengers' side.

"Don't take it personally he's just upset," Wally said passing her.

"I don't see why that's my fault." Kory sighed and got in the van.

It wasn't quiet on the hours back to the tower. Although Dick would have preferred it to be dead silent. The only people who didn't really talk were Vic (he liked to stay focused on the road) and Dick. Kory spoke very little, she mostly slept.

When they arrived back at the tower Dick went straight to his room.

"Maybe one of us should talk to him," Raven said.

The Titans turned to look at each other.

"Wally you do it." Roy pointed.

"What? Why?!"

"Because you're his best friend."

"What am I even supposed to stay? 'Sorry that Bruce replaced you without letting you know! Wanna play video games until you feel better?!'"

"What video game though," Garfield asked.

Wally was about to kick him but he turned into a bee and flew away next to Terra.

"Kory should do it."

"Why me?" Kory crossed her arms.

"Your his girlfriend," Garth said like it was obvious.

"No, I'm not."

"Oh so you guys platonically have sex, makes sense, me and Roy do that all the time." Garfield flew towards Roy and turned back into a human. He patted Roy on the shoulder.

Kory rolled her eyes and left the garage.

"So is that a yes that you're going to talk to him?" Vic shouted.

Kory didn't respond.

She flew to her room and it slid open. She sighed and leaned against it. She opened her eyes to see Dick lying on her bed.

"Ah!" She threw a star bolt at him.

It was a weak one so he let it hit him in the leg. Granted it still hurt.

"Ow."

"What are you doing in my room? How did you pick my scanner?"

"I came in through the window."

"I lock my window.

"I know."

"Dick, did you break my window?"

He stayed silent.

"I shouldn't have gotten upset with you, I'm sorry."

"Oh... that's okay..." she was still leaning against the door still.

Donna had painted her nails purple not even a week ago and she had already been picking at it.

"It's not."

"Yeah, it's not I just wanted you to feel better Richard." Kory laughed.

"I like when you call me Richard... no one else calls me that except you and..." his voice trailed off.

"May I ask you something?"

"Uh-huh."

Kory flew over to her bed and sat down. Dick looked at her and moved closer. He rested his head on her lap and shut her eyes.

"Are you still gonna be Robin?" Kory ran a hand threw his jet black hair.

"Kory I've been Robin since I was eight. I'm seventeen now... I've been Robin for nine years and me and Bruce-"

"Isn't it Bruce and I?"

"Kory..."

"Sorry continue."

He sighed, "Bruce and **I** have one disagreement and he replaces me... like I'm nothing."

"Dick you quit."

"I know I quit! I just thought he would at least make an effort to talk to me about it. He found a kid off the street and thought 'this is going to be Dicks replacement. This seems right!'"

"I'm sure that's not what Bruce was thinking."

"Don't take his side, Kory."

Kory pulled on his hair.

"Sorry."

Kory let out a sigh.

"I need a break... from everything... and I mean that."

"Okay..."

"I just need... to figure some stuff out by myself." He was looking down at his hands.

He kept clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Are you... your quitting?"

"Yeah... I guess..."

Kory stopped running her fingers through his hair. Part of him wanted her to just yell at him, let him have it. Call him selfish and a prick and some words in Tamaranian.

Instead, she just asked him to leave her room. He did, of course, he tried kissing her on the cheek but the door slid closed.

* * *

Dick stopped being Robin for a year, he moved out of Titans tower, on his eighteenth birthday his former teammates got kidnapped by Slade Wilson.

Sneaking around this place (palace really) was easier than he thought.

"This place is really quiet for a secret hideout."

He was met with silence and turned to Jericho.

"Sorry forgot you can't talk."

 _"It's okay."_ Jericho signed.

The only thing Dick was wearing to cover his identity was a paper mask that covered his eyes. His utility belt was wrapped around his waist.

Jericho tapped his shoulder.

_"You need a costume."_

"What?"

Jericho rolled his eyes. _"A costume!"_

Dick rolled his eyes. "I don't have one, I'm working with what I got."

The blond grabbed his hand and pulled him down a different hallway.

"We don't have time for this Jericho."

_"Shut up you need a costume you look ridiculous."_

They were in a basement-type room.

_"My mother taught me how to sew this will take only a few minutes."_

"Who's your mother?" Dick made sure Jericho could see his mouth move.

_"Her name was Adelaide."_

"Is she dead?"

_"No."_

Dick watched as Jericho pulled out a henchman uniform from a closet.

_So this is where they keep supplies._

They stayed silent for a moment before Dick grabbed his arm.

Jericho looked down at his hand then up at him.

"Are you gonna fucking betray me because I'm not in the mood to deal with shit."

Terra has just betrayed him and sent his friends to be imprisoned and tortured. And Jericho was Slade's son. He felt stupid for even trusting him in the first place.

 _"If I wanted to betray you I would have done it by now."_ Jericho signed with fast hands.

"I swear to-"

_"I'm not a fan of my father he's a terrible man... a terrible cruel man who doesn't care about anything but himself. I'm helping you don't make me regret it please."_

He signed the please as an afterthought.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm just- I just- I haven't seen my friend in a long time- a year. And I love them they're like my favorite fucking people and I'm gonna walk in and they're gonna be dead just like dead ya know? And that would suck for me because I only like them. They're the just-"

_"Please don't talk so fast I'm having trouble understanding you."_

"I'm having trouble understanding me." Dick breathed heavily and pulled at his hair.

 _"Blue or red?"_ Jericho asked after tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"I don't care."

He continued to sew. Dick felt a costume be thrown at the back of his head.

"Ow."

_"Quit bitching."_

"They have a word in sign language for bitching?" Dick asked.

_"Yes."_

Dick blinked.

He stripped his clothes quickly, Jericho turned around and messed with his hands.

It was all black except for a blue 'v' symbol on the chest. The gloves had blue finger stripes.

It was good for something done in less than forty minutes.

 _"Thank you."_ Dick signed turning around.

Jericho's eyes widened and he signed enthusiastically.

_"You can sign? I thought you said you could only read it."_

Dick blushed. "I can only read it. That's the only thing I know..."

_"Oh."_

"There's a monkey in this circus I was in... it knew sign language."

Jericho nodded.

_"They should be holding your friends on the fifth floor. Come on."_

He didn't think of the name Nightwing until later. Superman has told him about a warrior back on Krypton of the name.

Through everything, the name stuck.

When the Titans broke up he stayed as Nightwing. When Kory left he stayed Nightwing. When all his friends got married and had kids (except for Roy who just had the kid and not the marriage part) he stayed as Nightwing.

Nightwing was forever. Everything else in his life was or seemed temporary except for...

"Papa are you okay?" Mary leaned over his face.

It was three in the afternoon and he was still in bed.

He propped himself on his forearms.

"Did you just call me Papa?" He asked groggily.

"I looked up all the ways people refer to their father. I don't wanna call you 'father' though that's weird to me." She shrugged.

"Oh, I'll give you a nickname." He said leaning against the headboard.

She twisted and turned on the ball of her foot.

"You don't have to do that."

"No it's okay I'll put my mind to it."

"Okay, I'm gonna make pasta for lunch." Mar'i smiled and flew out of his room.

He fell back down on the bed and rested an arm over his eye. He sighed.

Everything else in his life was or seemed temporary except for Mar'i. He wasn't sure yet if that was a good thing or not.


	13. Issue #13

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:31 PM LOCAL TIME**

It was a nice day in Blüdhaven. She watched TV in the living room in her human form as Jin stared out the window. She switched to a random question.

Mary scratched her exposed stomach and sighed. She wanted to go outside but she knew Dick would know. He knew when she did everything.

Jin's ears twitched and he ran away from the window and jumped on her lap.

"Hi." She scratched his neck.

_"Meow."_

The door opened a moment later. She didn't bother sitting up. Jin flicked his tail he got up and sat on the cooler.

"Have you moved at all?" Dick asked leaning over on the couch.

"I went to the bathroom." She answered monotoned.

 _"You're my father? How come you didn't contact me... I grew up thinking you hated me."_ The female character said dramatically.

She fell to the floor and the male character rushed to her side.

_"If I had known-"_

The channel switched.

Mary glanced at Dick.

"Soap operas rot your brain."

"Oh."

She turned back to the TV.

_"Oliver Queen alongside his niece Lian Harper stood at the opening of a new children's hospital in Star City today."_

"Who's Oliver Queen?" Mary asked looking at Jin.

He fell asleep on the cooler.

The girl, Lian looked older than her with long tan legs and was wearing a plaid blue dress. She looked cold but she kept a wide smile on her face. The older man, Oliver wore a black suit and a blue tie. He had a blond goatee that was slowly but surely going grey.

Mary turned to see Dick in the kitchen he was looking at his phone and drinking from a bottle.

"What's your job?" Mary asked.

He looked up with furrowed eyebrows, "huh?"

"Do you... have an occupation? On Tamaran some people are unable to work so the crown gives them money to live off of."

Dick laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing sorry uh, I'm a private detective."

"What does that mean."

"You know what a cop is?"

She nodded. "They're like guards."

"Yeah well, I'm like them except people hire me to do what cops can't."

She blinked and looked back at the TV.

"It's more interesting than it sounds."

She hummed.

She changed the channel again and looked at the clock on the wall.

 _"You're a dumbass!"_ A voice said from the window.

Mary got up and walked towards it. She saw a boy she didn't know hitting Colin Wilkes in the back of the head. Colin pushed him off and laughed.

_"But I'm pretty so it doesn't matter."_

_"Pretty fucking stupid."_

She saw Colin glance up at the window and she held her breath and hid against the wall.

Dick didn't notice her and was currently looking in the fridge.

"Can I go for a walk?"

Dick shut the fridge and looked at her.

"Sure let's go."

_It's a miracle he even lets me go to the bathroom by myself._

She swallowed and walked towards her bedroom.

"I need to get dressed."

"Okay, I'll wait."

She shut the door and screamed into her pillow.

She grabbed a pair of tennis shoes and exited a moment later.

"Ready?"

She didn't answer.

* * *

As they walked they didn't really make conversation. There wasn't really a good side or bad side to Blüdhaven it was all kinda meshed together.

Kids would play on the sidewalks but then a mile or so down you would see drug deals.

Dick whistled as they walked. Mary looked up at the sun and shut her eyes. A wind hit her and a shiver went up her spine.

She missed Tamaran that gust of wind smell like fresh berries and the ocean. This just smelt like cigarettes and vomit with a hint of gasoline.

"You're not listening to me! She was kidnapped!" A woman was pulling on a police officer's arm.

He looked annoyed and tried pulling his hand away.

"You can't file a report until twenty-four hours-"

"She could be dead by then just **listen** the woman who took her..."

Mary's eyes widened... what did Robin say? That the person doing these crimes were a woman?

Mary stepped forward but Dick grabbed her arm.

"Come on let's go."

Mary agreed but then she saw the police officer push the woman away hard into a wall.

Mary ran towards the cop and pushed him towards the ground.

 _"Oh hell,"_ Dick whispered.

People were beginning to stare **now**.

"What the hell is your problem?" Mary asked the police officer.

It took the man a minute to process before getting up.

"You just assaulted a police officer!"

"And _you_ just assaulted a woman you stupid taint blossom."

_Where did she even learn any of those words?_

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Apologize!"

"That's it you little-"

Dick grabbed the officers arm before he could reach Mary

"Sorry Jackson she can be a little _impulsive_. She's sorry."

The cop, named Jackson looked at Dick taken aback.

"Can I ask who this young girl is Grayson?"

"Um she's my daughter," Dick answered letting the man's arm.

Jackson blinked his blue eyes rapidly before giving Dick a strange look that Mary didn't appreciate.

"How old are you?"

"Fuck you."

"Ah, so fifteen."

Mary felt her hands grow warm and she stuffed them into her pockets. The cop looked at her leaned in and whispered something to Dick. He then walked off.

Mary turned to find the woman leaning against the wall. She had a blush on her face and a hand was resting on her chest.

"Come on let's go," Dick said gesturing for her to follow.

She nodded at the woman before following.

When they got a few feet away he stopped walking and turned to her.

"What was that?!"

"He pushed a woman harshly against a wall! No one should do that."

"Mary you can't do that type of thing to a cop!"

"So when cops do bad things it's fine but when regular people do bad things it's a travesty and makes them less worthy of common decency? Fascinating."

"Mary you aren't a common person you can not do that." He was gradually becoming more irritated.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Mary didn't wait for him to answer.

"When you go out in the streets every night to fight crime do you have to fight cops?"

Dick grabbed her arm and pulled her into an alleyway.

"Okay, I don't know-"

"Ya know just because I'm an Alien that doesn't mean I'm an idiot."

"Who said that?! I didn't even-"

"Would you-"

"Would _you_ stop interrupting me?!"

Dick felt like a child. He was supposed to be the adult! Why was this so hard?

"They call you Nightwing. Is that right?" Mary said in a low voice.

People walked by not giving them any looks.

"Yeah, they do."

There was no point in denying it.

"So you want to talk about this now?" Dick asked looking up at the sky seeing that it was suddenly growing very cloudy.

"I want to talk about it at some point."

"Come on it's about to rain let's go."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. Mary rolled her eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you that just because you walk away, that doesn't mean you _win_ the argument!" Mary yelled following him.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**2:54 AM CENTRAL TIME**   
  


"She was standing here the last time I saw her," Mar'i said looking around.

They were all standing on a rooftop. Below was the spot she had been earlier with Dick. She was looking around trying to find the woman from earlier.

Robin and Superboy didn't look convinced.

"So a prostitute said her friend got kidnapped by a woman and that's the reason we're here?" Robin put his hood up.

"Why did you specify her job?" Mar'i asked.

"Because it kinda matters. She could have been confused or something."

"So we should not check it out?" Superboy asked watching people walk by.

"No we should but-"

"Then shut up with your comments." Mar'i snapped.

 _"Hadha hu mudieat liwaqati ghabiin."_ Robin grumbled in Arabic.

"I heard that it's not a waste of time... and don't call me stupid!" Mar'i threw a star-bolt at him but he dodged it.

Superboy blinked. "You know Arabic? Since when."

"Since we went to the warehouse."

Superboy looked at Robin who had a blush on his face. Even though his hood covered his face, Superboy could see a blush.

 **"OHMYGODDIDYOUGUYSKISS?!?!"** He yelled with a voice crack.

"NO!" Robin shouted back.

"I just touched him," Mar'i rolled her eyes.

**"WHERE?!"**

"Not where you're thinking!!"

"Where am I **THINKING?!"**

"I see her!" Mar'i pointed to a woman leaning against a brick wall. Some other girls were near her but no one was talking to her.

She wore a short black skirt that barely covered anything. Along with a pink shirt that was ripped in various places. Mar'i flew off the roof and landed on the sidewalk.

Robin and Superboy looked at each other before following.

Mar'i walked towards her and tapped her on the shoulder.

The woman turned and made a face.

"Nice makeup... is this a kink for you?"

"I don't know what that is but I would like to talk to you about your friend. The one that went missing."

The woman's eyes widened and she glanced towards Superboy and Robin.

"Do they have to be there?"

Mar'i looked at them.

"We'll... go and secure the perimeter?" Superboy shrunk back when he noted a woman giving him an alluring look.

"Fine. We'll be back in ten minutes."

The woman gestured for Mar'i to follow her further down into the alleyway.

"I'm Candy... you can call me Sadie though."

"Okay."

Sadie has red hair that was in waves it looked like she hasn't showered in a few days though.

"You look familiar," Sadie said staring at her eyes.

"You know Nightwing?"

"Of course."

"He's my father so maybe that's why."

It felt like such a bold statement but it didn't feel like one.

"Nightwing? Nightwing is your daddy?"

"Yeah..."

"Damn, that's why your ass looks nice."

Mar'i kept a straight face.

"That was a joke."

"Okay."

Sadie rubbed her face. Some of her makeup came off so Mar'i could see some freckles.

"Your friend what's her name."

"Kat, her name is Kat."

"Do you want to talk about what you saw?"

Sadie looked at her and got close to her face.

"Are you fucking with me?"

Mar'i was taken aback. "What?"

"Are you fucking with me? Like are you gonna try and find her or is this all just some big game to you."

"How would this even be a game? No one wins in this."

Sadie looked her up and down and stepped back.

"You're weird."

Mar'i threw her arms up in the air.

"A woman got out of this like a nice car and the next thing I knew Kat was in the car passed out. I threw my shoe at it... but like I didn't do much..."

"It's okay, you did your best."

"I should have stayed with her. She told me to go home without her but I knew I should have-"

"This isn't your fault nor is it Kat's." Mar'i touches her chin and Sadie looked at her.

"Do you really think she's alive?"

"Yes. I do."

Sadie leaned back.

"What direction did the car go?" Mar'i asked.

Sadie walked towards the street, Mar'i followed.

"Down there. Then she took a left... I couldn't see the license plate though... I have bad eyesight..." Sadie looked embarrassed.

"Are there cameras on this street?" Mar'i asked.

"No-"

"All the street lights have cameras. I could hack into them." Robin said from behind Sadie.

She jumped and turned around.

"Jesus the fuck did you come from?"

Robin didn't respond.

"Time to go." He said to Mar'i.

Mar'i didn't say anything and looked at Sadie.

"Thank you for your help," Mar'i said flying up into the sky.

Robin nodded at Sadie before taking out his grappling hook and _WOOSHING_ away.

Sadie watched them before she went back to her corner.

* * *

**GOTHAM**   
**3:00 AM CENTRAL TIME**

Kat opened her groggily eyes and saw her arms tied up over her head. Her legs were dangling below her and she realized all the hair on her body except for her eyebrows and head were shaved. Kat thrashed and pulled.

Was this a nightmare? She couldn't remember much at all. She remembered Candy walking away from her- was Candy here?

She looked at her toenails and realized they had been cut down and painted.

"Am I high?" She asked to no one.

What day was it?

Kat strained her head to look to see a bunch of women sitting at a tea table.

The door opened and she looked towards it. A woman walked in with a mask, there was a happy face painted on it, there was pink blush painted on the cheeks. It looked like a child made it.

Kat glared.

"Hello, Margery." The woman said putting down a trey.

"Who's Margery? My name's Kat you got the wrong-!"

She felt a sharp pinch on her stomach. Kat looked down to see a syringe being pushed into her skin.

_Well, this isn't the fun type of blackout._

"I need to dye your hair."

Kat spits on the mask as a last act of defiance.

The woman paused and wiped the spit off the mask. That blended the smile face make it smudged. She looked at the fingers of her glove and inhaled. The woman began to sob and she ran out of the room.

Before Kat passed out she whispered, "freak."


	14. Issue #14

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:05 AM CENTRAL TIME**

Mar'i leaned over Robin's shoulder. She could smell his scent. Evergreen.

"I didn't know that street lights had cameras," Superboy said watching as Robin replayed until he found what he was looking for.

"They put them in a year ago. We have them in Gotham there pretty easy to disable though... okay here."

He stopped playing it at a car Sadie had described to him.

It looked like a nice car something his father would own but never actually drive.

"License plate," Superboy said.

"I know." He zoomed in as much as he could and looked at the license plate.

GOTHAM  
 **DCC — 582**

"She lives in Gotham," Mar'i whispered. "Why is she stealing girls from Blüdhaven?"

"Girl." Robin corrected. "And we don't know if where she gets the girls from. Could be all over, probably not to draw attention to herself."

It was smart which irritated Robin more.

"Can you find out who the car belongs to? We should be able to track her right."

"Give me a moment."

The trio stood under a single street light. While the others were working this seemed to be the only one that seemed to be bright. Robin went to go lean towards a wall muttering to himself.

Mar'i grabbed the post of the lamp and spun around it. She stopped when she hit them directly in front of Superboy.

He realized now that he was a few inches shorter than her. If he leaned up just a little he could...

"What?" She asked him confused.

"I didn't say anything."

"You were looking at me funny."

"Sorry."

"It's okay I don't mind."

 _Don't mind what?_ He wanted to ask but Robin spoke.

"I got it."

They flew over to him and leaned against the wall.

"Valentine Moreno."

"Wait I know that name..." she thought for a second before snapping her fingers.

"That's the name of a doll! The girl was an Italian immigrant in the nineteen-twenties."

"What did she become a mob boss?" Superboy asked staring at a spider on the ground.

"They weren't that creative." Robin glared staring at the women's driver's license on the screen.

"This woman has an obsession with these dolls... loving something is one thing but making people dress up as dolls are..." Superboy said.

"Somethings wrong with her... mentally I mean... she may have some type of... what's the word... trauma we don't know about."

They didn't have that word on Tamaran. The closest thing they had was _'gratsuk'_ which meant old scars.

"Guys-" Robin said trying to get both of the younger heroes' attention.

"I don't think trauma can make you turn into a kidnapper," Superboy said

"Is that the right word?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Guys-"

"Kidnapper doesn't sound right."

"Okay well-"

**"Shut up!"**

Superboy and Mar'i turned to Robin. He was (not so) silently fuming. Steam was practically coming out of his ears. Robin cleared his throat.

"Valentine Moreno is Janet Jennings."

_"What?!"_   
  


* * *

  
  


**JENNINGS HOUSEHOLD, GOTHAM**   
**1982**   
  


Jill stared at him while he slept. His chest moved evenly up and down. He snored quite loudly. Her mother used to sleep next to him... how could she handle the noise. He also smelled bad, revolting.

He didn't smoke, nor did drink more than a man should so he smelt like himself. Which was more disgusting than the smell of cigarettes and beer combined.

The twelve-year-old crept down the stairs and went into the office.

A lighter.

Her mother smoked... she smoked so much her lungs shriveled up and gave out. That's what her grandmother had told her.

She didn't mean to light it. She especially didn't mean to drop it. The carpet lit up and she screamed.

Everything happened quickly.

She grabbed the house key and ran out of the house. She locked the door behind her.

_Why did you do that Jill?_

_Why did you lock the door little Jill?_

She stood back and watched the house she hated burned.

She hated the green of the house. She hated the white of the window sheds. She hated her bedroom.

She sat on the sidewalk.

She stayed there until the fire department came. Her grandma pulled up in an old Honda and sprinted towards her.

Jill felt her cold arms wrap around her.

"Oh, poor Jill. Poor baby Jill..." the woman kisses her forehead.

Jill wanted to say, _"he deserved to die. Nana, he was terrible. Nana, he made me feel bad."_

Jill let out a sigh.

The scars she got from the fire weren't deep. To a normal person, Jill Jennings looked like a normal person. She had faint scars small ones you can see on her face if you squint. But to Jill, they were scars deep in her face. All over her face. Deep scars. Ugly scars.

_You're disgusting Jill. Disgusting._

The first doll she had was named; Valentine Moreno.

Her skin was clear and a deep brown and her hair was the darkest of colors. Her eyes were a bright brown and she had dimples on both cheeks.

It was a birthday present.

The freshly turned thirteen-year-old held Valentine close and kissed her cheeks.

_"I'm gonna be your momma. And I'm not gonna leave you. Momma is gonna_ **_protect_ ** _you."_   
  


* * *

**GOTHAM, MODERN DAY**   
**3:52 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


This house belonged to her grandmother apparently.

Mar'i swallowed:

How many girls were in there...

"Maybe we should split up," Robin said.

"Hell no! This is how all horror movies start."

"Well, Mar'i and I are minorities so we're more likely to die than you."

"That kinda makes me feel better but in the worst way possible."

"You're welcome."

"So we're sticking together?" Mar'i asked looking to the boys next to her.

"We stick together."

The house was up a hill. They stared at it. The house was two stories with a basement.

"Um, do we go through the door?" Mar'i asked scratching her head.

It's not like she had ever broken into someone's house before... she was sure Robin and Superboy had more experience with this than she did.

"There's a backdoor," Robin informed walking around the house.

Mar'i and Superboy walked next to each other.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

"Kinda I'm mostly worried about Kat." She said in a sad tone. "And... I don't want to fight this woman."

"No, I think you can take her," Superboy said.

"That's not... never mind."

There a backdoor and Robin checked something on his 'bat phone'.

"She has no home security system that's weird."

"Oh yeah, I bet this place gets loads of muggers all the time." Superboy snorted.

The nearest house was six miles away.

"Okay, we should head to the basement."

"Said no one in a horror movie."

"Superboy shut it."

Mar'i sighed.

There was a creek upstairs. They all looked up.

"Superboy..."

"She's not up there. It must just be the house." He said still looking upstairs.

"Well that means she's down in the basement doesn't it?" 

"Yeah..." Robin whispered.

"Great." Mar'i rolled her eyes.

Superboy looked at her and realized her eyes seemed to glow in the dark.

"So... we go down to the basement?"

"To the basement."

They looked at each other. There was humming downstairs. A song none of them knew nor would ever be able to hear in a way other would.

Mar'i and Superboy floated while Robin stepped as carefully as possible down the stairs. There was a blind spot that they stopped at. They could see her but she couldn't see them.

The women were sitting perfectly still at a circular table. Mar'i couldn't see Kat. It was only four other girls. The woman in the middle was wearing a white mask that perfectly covered her face.

She poured tea for all the women.

"Margery is sick so she won't be joining us this evening." She said in a sickly sweet tone.

Robin threw a batarang at the woman's hand. She screamed and dropped the teapot.

"We don't want to hurt you," Superboy said in a voice that you would use to soothe a scared animal.

"But make no mistake we will if we have to." Robin said more sternly.

The woman yelled angrily and began to throw things.

She was a child having a tantrum. Mar'i blinked and grabbed a cup before it hit her face.

The woman paused.

"Jill we know what happened to you." She said gently.

"Shut up."

"We can help you." Superboy took a step closer to her.

_"I don't need your help!"_

She was fine. She didn't need these children dressed up in sad costumes to tell her she wasn't.

"Your father was-"

"I said shut up!" She put her hands over her ears.

"Jill."

**_"LA LA LA LA LA LA. I CAN'T HEAR YOU."_ **

Robin was starting to lose his patience.

"Just because you went through trauma it doesn't give you an excuse to put it onto others." He said to her.

She began to shake.

"These are people Jill. Not dolls and you're not a doll either-"

She punched Robin in the throat and he leaned down and coughed. She kicked him in the stomach and he fell over.

"Damn it." He grunted throwing another batarang at her. She threw a pink mirror and it and it shattered.

She ran out a back door.

"Robin are you-!"

"Mar'i get her now."

Mar'i blinked before flying out. Robin got up and leaned against the table.

"Superboy find Kat. I'm going to take the girls upstairs and contact the police and the medic."

He picked a girl up and she felt completely lax in his arms.

He looked into her eyes. She was alive and he only knew this because tears ran down her hollow cheeks.

"Shouldn't I go-"

"No, find her now."

Robin also assumed Jill didn't want a guy chasing her... It may be easier with Mar'i.

"Jill! Can we please talk? I don't want to fight you!"

"You'll yell at me!" Jill said faintly.

Mar'i paused.

_This woman is a child._

"You're so pretty," Jill said looking at Mar'i from behind a tree.

Mar'i blinked.

"I'm sure you're pretty too... Valentine."

Jill began to buzz.

"You called me Jill before. I hate Jill."

"I'm sorry for that."

"I'm not pretty at all. But you're so pretty... so pretty..." Jill touched her mask and frowned behind it.

"I want us to be friends Valentine."

"Liar. No one wants to be my friend."

"I do. I don't have any friends."

It was true... and it hurt to say.

"Liar pretty girls like you always have friends."

"Well, I don't. But you could be my friend Valentine and I could be yours."

"I could dress you up and we can have tea."

_That's terrifying._

"And we can tell each other secrets," Mar'i said walking slowly towards her.

Jill took her mask off. "I wish my face was as pretty as yours."

What was she talking about? She was normal? Mar'i didn't see anything wrong with her.

She touched Jill's face. "You are pretty."

She wasn't lying either. Jill was a pretty woman. With pretty pink lips and dimples.

"Not as pretty as you," Jill whispered and fell to the ground on her knees.

"You're prettier... you're just sick that's all."

Jill leaned down into Mar'is lap.

Mar'i inhaled sharply.

"Sick how?"

"Sick up here... but a lot of people are so don't think it's a bad thing okay?"

"They're gonna take my dolls away."

"They're people."

"But they're _mine_ and I'm their mother."

Jill began to punch the ground. Mar'i sighed.

 _She_ felt like a mother.

"I'll get you a real doll. Not a person. A doll. One of your own. I promise I'll give that to you."

Jill stopped.

"She has to be pretty... no she has to be uglier than me but still pretty enough." Mar'i didn't know what that meant but she nodded.

MEANWHILE

"Kat!" Superboy yelled opening closets.

He smelt something... foul...

"Shit please don't be dead." He whispered opening up a room.

An old woman fell out.

"Ah fuck! Come on!" He yelled so loud God could hear.

He gagged and turned the old woman over.  
  


_"Do you live here by yourself?" Mar'i asked._

_"Grandma used to be here... but she left."_

_"Where did she go?"_

_Jill pointed to the sky._   
  


* * *

Superboy stepped over the old woman.

He heard banging from a bedroom.

He flew quickly. He didn't even open the door just broke the door. Kat was turning her body trying to throw herself against a wall in an attempt to loosen her bindings.

There was a cloth in her mouth and her eyes widened.

"Hi!" He said melting her chains with his beat vision.

He caught her in his arms and took the cloth out of her mouth.

"Your friend sent us," Superboy said to Kat.

"Yeah, she would," Kat grunted.

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah but it's been my dream to have you carry me bridal style so let me have this."

* * *

**GOTHAM**   
**4:35 AM LOCAL TIME**

They watched from the trees as Jill was handcuffed. She didn't resist and she had this far-off look in her eye. The 'dolls' were put in ambulances and wielded off.

Kat talked to a medic.

"Where's Jill gonna go?" Mar'i asked.

She was carrying Robin by his arms and Superboy flew beside them.

"She's gonna go to Arkham probably."

"I promised I would give her a doll," Mar'i said.

"You don't have to keep that promise if you don't want to."

"Yeah. Well, I want to."

They all flew back to Blüdhaven in silence as the sun started to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really hope u guys didn't find this anti climatic...
> 
> I like to think of this was the first finished "arc" of this fic and Um I hope you guys liked these first 12 chapters... lots more to come... next chapter... hope y'all love some stupid shit.


	15. Issue #15

  
  
**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**6:59 AM CENTRAL TIME**

"First day! First day! Oh, first daaaaay." Mary had her hologram on and laid out her outfit. A purple turtleneck and a brown skirt.

Jin meowed at her, clearly still tired.

Mary danced as she got dressed.

Yesterday she had saved innocent women and today she would get to meet so many more people... she could make friends on Earth. Friends who didn't wear costumes when the sun went down.

Mary applied chapstick like it was lipgloss. She picked up a pair of shoes and ran out of her bedroom door.

She realized Dick wasn't up. She ran towards his bedroom and opened the door. He was sleeping soundly. She jumped on his bed.

"Mary...." he said groggily.

"Come on I'm gonna be late for my first day!"

"Most teenagers would be happy about that."

"Yeah well, most teenagers haven't been forced to watch _The Breakfast Club_ twentytimes."

Dick threw a pillow at her face.

"It's a cinematic masterpiece and one day you will realize that."

"Okay you're fully awake let's gooooo"

Mary clapped very loudly there was a knock on the front door and she ran to open it.

The land-lady who was named, Bridget Clancy smiled at her.

"Hi, Mary. The first day of school today right?"

Mary buzzed and shouted, "yes!"

 _"Mary inside voice!"_ Dick shouted from his bedroom.

Mary cleared her throat embarrassed.

Bridget handed Mary several envelopes.

"Bills." Mary whispered.

She didn't know if they were actually bills but in the _many_ tv shows, she's seen that's what the landlord always handed the tenets.

"You look lovely you're gonna make friends so fast tell me if people are mean to you I'll get my bat."

"I think hitting people with bats will make people be more mean to me though." She frowned seeing a handwritten letter addressed to Dick.

"Have a good first day." Bridget laughed and punched her gently on the arm.

She nodded and closed the door.

She put the rest of the letters down and stared at the handwritten letter.

The letter was ripped from her hands and put on the countertop.

"Feed your cat," Dick said looking exhausted.

"Say his name."

"Feed it."

Mary stuck out her tongue and went towards the cabinets to grab a can of tuna. She opened her bedroom door again and Jin spun in a circle excited.

"Hi, honey I'm sorry I woke you up early but look more food." Jin began to eat up the tuna happy and seemingly forgiving her.

Dick began to slurp his coffee loudly. Mary paused and glanced at him.

"Can we leave?"

Dick held up a finger and continued to sip.

Mary grunted.

"Dad-"

"You broke my concentration."

**"Oh my God!"**

He continued to slurp for ten minutes. Mary was sure he was backwashing coffee just so he can drink it again.

He finished and wiped his mouth.

"What was that for?!"

"For waking me up, we can go now."

He smiled smugly.

He walked towards the front door. He opened it and gestured for to leave first.

She grabbed her backpack near the door and jogged out.

* * *

The walk to Lincoln High School was relatively short. They made conversation and watched some students pass. Finally they arrived. Mary was ready to run off but Dick grabbed her arm.

A girl pushed through them and was wearing fishnets with a blue shirt. Mary looked down and checked to see if she was wearing shorts. She was not. The girl turned around and Mary saw black hearts on her cheeks.

Mary swallowed and looked away.

"So. First-day big day! Usually, parents probably give this talk to their little kids and you're not little. Okay um have fun I guess. Make friends. But also keep your head down."

Mary nodded not really paying attention.

"Okay bye!" Mary kissed his cheek and ran across the street.

Luckily no car was passing the street.

Dick lingered there for a moment and touched his cheek.

Mary smiled all the way to the front office.

"Hey!" A stern man yelled at her.

She turned around and cocked her head to the side.

It was a man in a security uniform. A group of kids were standing in a line looking irritated.

"You have to go through the metal detector."

Mary made a face. "Why?"

The security man glared at her.

"Oh, Smith it's okay! She's new!" A male voice said from being her.

He seemed to be the same age as her father. He was taller than her close to being seven-foot, he probably had to duck when entering doorways. He was bald and had a dark complexion. He had a beard and was wearing a plaid shirt with a blue tie.

"You're Mary, right? I'm Principal Monroe. Not related to Marilyn." He seemed to find that funny because he laughed for a few seconds.

This man didn't look like a principal he looked like a wrestler.

"Come into my office and I'll give you, your schedule."

Mary followed him she turned around to see people staring at her.

She waved.

Principal Monroe's office was so clean it made her feel dirty. Everything was organized in a way that probably only made sense to him.

"Your father mentioned you were homeschooled until now?" Principal Monroe said.

Mary nodded. That's a way to put it.

"Well I know it's hard for home school kids to make friends and adjust and everything so tell me if you need help with anything."

He opened a file and began to look through it.

"Why is there a metal detector?"

He sighed. "Well people seem to think this is a rough neighborhood... which it is but there's never been a fight or anything dangerous happen I promise. And between you and me"

He walked over to her and whispered "the metal detector doesn't even work."

"Ohhh."

Principal Monroe laughed.

He opened his office door and they both left his office.

A short black girl with buns pinned up in her hair and a purple hoodie was sharping pencils.

"Miss Little is there not a pencil sharpener in your History class?"

"It's always broke Mr. Hamp hasn't fixed it yet." She shrugged.

"Mary this is Nell Little she's actually in your first period. Nell can you show her around?"

Nell nodded with a dimpled smile.

"Fantastic! I love bringing people together! Have a nice first day Mary."

He went back into his office with a smile.

Nell stopped sharpening her pencils.

"I'm Nell which you already know but I'll say it again."

Nell shook Mary's hand.

"I'm Mary... which you already know but I'll say it again."

Nell smiled again.

She took Mary's schedule.

"Cool, we have lunch together!" Nell said picking at her white nail polish.

"Oh we better get to class our teacher is an asshole and expects everyone to be early. Early! Can you believe it!"

She grabbed Mary's hand and they went down the hall together.  
  


* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN,** **LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL**   
**12:25 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  
  


Mary sat by herself outside. She poked at the meatloaf.

"Why are you furrier than my cat?" She whispered.

She stabbed it with her fork and got out a book for her English class.

So far the only class she really felt she was good at was Math. Math seemed easier to her. She had a pop quiz in there and she got a 100 even though she didn't know anything. Quite the overachiever...

"How's your day been so far?" Nell said sitting from across from her.

She looked up. "Oh yes, it's been fine."

"New girl!"

Nell rolled her eyes and Mary jumped.

She felt someone sit next to her.

A black boy with a gap between his teeth and mischievous brown eyes was smiling at her. He wore a blue letterman's jacket. His wide nose looked like it had been broken a few times.

"Sup' I'm Charlie Link and you're new which means you haven't heard all the embarrassing stories about me from Middle School, wanna go out?"

Mary blinked. "Wow, I've never been asked so eloquently before."

"Hell yeah, I don't know what that means but awesome!"

He punched her playfully in the arm.

"He's a football player excuse his lack of brain cells."

A Chinese girl with red flannel and black lipstick blew a bubble and it popped.

"Hi I'm Billy Jean, yes I am named after that song." She rolled her eyes and sat next to Nell on the opposite side of the lunch table.

"You can call her B.J." Charlie Link said.

"No, you can't." Billy Jean grunted throwing one of Mary's fries at him.

"So did you just move to the neighborhood?" Billy Jean asked.

"Yeah but my dad's lived here for years." Mary put her book down and put her hands on the table.

"Where did you move from?"

Mary tried to remember where she 'moved' from.

Before she can answer a boy she had seen many times before sat on the opposite side of her. His red hair was longer in person and it was tied back. Some strand was still loose on his face. He wore a red baseball cap and a red hoodie. Mary couldn't tell if his eyes were red too or if it was just cause of the reflection of the sun. He had freckles on his nose and an annoyed look on his overall soft features.

"Chemistry is the worst thing to ever be invented? Who invented chemistry? Fuck them and their mother."

He ignored Mary.

"Yo Colin say hi to the new girl." Charlie shook his head.

Colin looked at her and nodded. "Hi."

It made her hands feel sweaty. "Hi." She said back.

Colin sighed.

"Anyways Mary what part of Blüdhaven do you and your dad live in?" Nell asked smiling.

"Oh um, we live on the same street," Mary said gesturing towards Colin.

"Colin you never told me such a cute girl lived on your street." Charlie gasped.

Colin blinked, "how come I've never seen you before? I would have remembered you if I saw you."

Billy Jean snorted and muttered something under her breath.

"Oh, I don't leave the house much." Mary laughed.

Colin furrowed his eyebrows and nodded.

"Wait Mary what grade are you in?" Charlie asked her.

_Crap I don't know what grade I'm in._

"We're in the same grade," Nell said.

"Thank God you're not a freshman."

"Dumbass what part of her looks like a freshman," Colin said to Charlie.

"Hey, freshmen are getting taller and taller every year. I'm telling you it's something in the water." Charlie defended.

"The Joker's evil plan. To make fourteen-year-olds taller than eighteen-year-olds." Billy Jean drank from her water bottle.

"Ha! Fuck you!" Charlie threw another one of Mary's fries at her.

"Mary let me see your schedule." Colin nodded at her.

She unfolded her schedule and handed it to him.

"Holy shit! I just realized where I recognize you from!" Nell slammed her hands on the table.

Marys's eyes widened.

"Um-"

"You pushed Officer Jackson! Then you called him like a taint blossom or something right? That was you!!"

They all looked at her. Except for Colin who raised an eyebrow and was still looking at her schedule.

"Holy fuck that was you?!" Billy Jean screamed

"Yes."

"Oh my God, I want to marry you." Charlie leaned his head on his palm and gazed at her.

"You have woodshop." Colin said randomly.

"Colin, are you even paying attention?" Nell said grabbing her schedule.

"No, why were you talking?"

The bell rang and Mary took her schedule back.

"It was lovely meeting you all." Mary nodded and put her book bag on.

"Mary, what's your next class?"

"Biology."

"Cool me too!" Charlie smiled and got his book-bag.

"Take her to the right class," Nell warned.

"Oh come I'm not a creep."

Mary waved goodbye to the rest of the group.

Charlie walked next to her, his hands on his book-bag straps.

"So Colin huh?"

Mary stopped walking.

"What?"

"Oh well, you were looking at him with heart eyes." Charlie made a heart with his hands and put it on his left eye.

"No! No! That's not what that was."

"Ah... never met a guy with no soul before then?"

Mary blinked.

_All things have souls?_

"Does Colin not have a soul? That's terrible! What happened to him?"

Charlie would have laughed but Mary genuinely looked distraught.

"No! That was a joke. He has a soul he's fine! It's cause he's ginger that's what it was meant to be like!" Charlie waved his hands in many directions.

Mary punched him in the arm. "Don't joke like that scared me!"

"Damn you punch hard." Charlie rubbed his arm.

Mary let out a puff.

"I don't like him that way _either_. I just met him you can't like someone like that when you just meet them."

"Well of course you can. That's what physical attraction is, you can have crushes on people just cause they're attracted to you."

"I wasn't giving him heart eyes either I look at everyone that way!" Mary said completely ignoring Charlie's earlier point.

"If you look at everyone that way you should like... not."

Mary was about to walk away from him but he caught up to her.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Charlie scratched his hand.

"It's fine."

"See when a girl says that it's very rarely fine... look let's be friends okay, there's a party after the football game next week and you should come, it's at a mutual friends place."

"A party?"

Charlie nodded.

"Yeah, and you should come... if you can."

"I'll see."

"So we can be friends."

"Yes, we can be friends."

Charlie fist-bumped into the air.

"Cool!"

"Cool," Mary repeated smiling.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:26 PM LOCAL TIME**

Dick whispered to himself and was writing something down when she came through the door. Jin was sleeping by the window.

"How was your first day?" He asked biting my pencil.

"Really good! I don't have homework because I finished it all during study hall. And I'm learning about cells in bio and math is easy I think I love math and I'm reading..." Mary realized he wasn't listening to her.

"And I did drugs on the way home."

"That's great Mary." He said scrolling down on his laptop.

Mary blinked. "Wow, you're such a good listener."

"Uh-huh."

"Lovely talking to you," Mary said opening her bedroom door and slamming it shut.

She went towards the window. Colin was crossing the street. He had headphones in and he was bopping his head. He stopped and looked up at her. He waved. She smiled and waved back.

He nodded before walking into his apartment building.

There was a knock on her bedroom door.

She opened it more aggressively than she meant to.

"I'm sorry I'm really tired and I'm working on this case and I feel bad."

"And I'm sorry you never learned to apologize correctly." Mary leaned against her doorframe.

Dick blinked.

"It's not an apology if you try and guilt trip me into being wrong or try and make excuses for yourself. Just say you're sorry."

"I'm sorry."

Mary nodded and was about to close the door before he said.

"I would like to hear about your day... if you still want to talk about it."

"You seem busy."

"I'm not too busy for you." He said quickly.

Bruce used to be too busy for him. His _own_ parents used to be too busy for him at times. He wouldn't be too busy for her. Ever.

"Okay."

So then she told him all about her day and he listened to every little detail.

Dick didn't interrupt and just let her talk.

"Make friends?"

"Yeah, a few."

"Good," Dick said nodding.

"Yeah."

"You hungry?"

She nodded.

Mary took off her hologram and Dick shut all the blinds.

They ate pasta in front of the tv watching the news.

"So are we gonna talk about how you're a superhero?" Mar'i asked.

"I mean is there anything you want to talk about?" Dick still looked at the TV.

"... I suppose not then."

Dick sighed and turned to her. "Look I need you to promise me something."

"Okay."

"Mar'i look at me."

Mar'i turned her head. He had a deathly serious look on his face.

"Yes?"

"I need you to promise me that you aren't gonna go out and be a superhero or anything along those lines."

Too fucking late-

"Why?"

"Because you can get hurt... and you're the heir to an entire planet and if something happened to you I'm gonna be the one who has to answer for it."

_So if I get hurt that's the only thing you would be worried about._

"Mar'i you have to promise me this."

"Okay."

"Promise me."

"I just did!"

Dick looked at her.

"Okay... I promise I won't."

Dick stared at her before nodding. "Good."

When they later bid goodnight to each other. And she was petting Jin he hissed at her window:

"What?" Mar'i frowned and looked at her window.

Jin hissed again and jumped towards the window. He scratched at the blinds. Her window open and he jumped back. Robin tried to come in but the blinds kept getting in his way. He grunted then pulled her blinds on the floor.

"You could have just asked me to pull them up."

"Shut up." He said quickly.

He stood up and cleared his throat. Jin ran in a circle and tried to attack him.

"Usually animals like me there must be something wrong with your cat."

"Maybe there's something wrong with **you**."

"There is, but I don't feel like talking about all my trauma at this given moment so."

Mar'i bit her bottom lip and looked at him.

"I came to tell you that your costume is ready." He said.

He reached down to pet Jin but Jin scratched his gloved hand.

"You will love me." He whispered to the cat.

"Damian."

He looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Before you said that I wasn't allowed to help you or Superboy or anyone with crime stopping. But you still got me a costume and everything and... you changed your mind... what made you change your mind?" Mar'i whispered as if talking loud would make her voice crack.

"You're good at it."

"Good at what?"

"Helping people even people others wouldn't help I like that about you." He wasn't making eye contact with her.

"You like me?"

"I didn't say that."

"You just said it."

"No, I didn't."

"You're ruining this for me."

"Well, you ruined this already so..."

Mar'i laughed and threw a pillow at him, which he caught.

"My dad said I couldn't go out... but I like being a superhero because it's the only time I can go out as Mar'i and not Mary."

"I understand."

Jin jumped on her bed and purred at her.

"Seriously there's something wrong with your cat."

"Talk bad about him again and I'll put you through a wall."

"Lovely."

Mar'i stuck out her tongue.

"Tomorrow Superboy and I will come and get you."

"Oh, I have school."

"So?"

"I can't miss school."

Robin clicked his tongue.

"Fine, this weekend then?"

"I'll try and get away." Mar'i nodded.

"Good." He moved towards the window.

Jin seemed happy that he was leaving.

"Have a goodnight..." he said before leaving her window.

Mary got up and closed her curtains. Jin meowed and made himself comfortable in the middle of her bed.


	16. Issue #16

  
**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**5:22 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jon Kent thought it should be illegal to be awake this early on the weekend. His own grandma wasn't awake this early.

_Aren't old people supposed to be up early?_

He drank too much coffee and now he was jittery.

He watched as Mar'i climbed out of her window and up at the fire escape.

"Hi Jonny." She smiled and sat next to him.

The two half aliens gave each other happy (but tired) looks.

"Hi how was your first week at human school?"

"Fun! I love it I never... had school on Tamaran. It was just me but with other people it's interesting."

"Well that's good, you made friends I'm sure."

"I bet you have a lot of friends at school Jon." Mar'i sighed.

Jon wanted to burst out laughing. Instead, he just shook his head.

"I was popular when I was like ten, then I moved the Metropolis, then BACK to Kansas and I don't know things were never really the same so."

"You left only to go back to the place you started? What happened?"

"Um... my grandpa died." He swallowed.

"I'm so sorry," Mar'i whispered softly.

He didn't look at her. He suddenly felt like he had ruined everything.

"It happened a long time ago so." He shrugged it off.

"That doesn't make it hurt less."

He felt his throat tighten.

"I think if we grew up together... I would have loved to have been your friend." Mar'i said mostly to herself.

He heard her though. Jon could hear everything. Which included Damian-Robin climbing the fire escape.

"It's rude to keep a lady waiting," Mar'i said to Robin.

His costume looked freshly cleaned.

Jon could tell Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask.

"Superboy catch."

He caught some type of device and looked to see it was a GPS.

"That's where we're going. You two can fly?"

"You're not coming with us?" Mar'i sounded alarmed.

"No I am, I'm just not flying," Robin replied.

This scene seemed funny. Jon and Mar'i were wearing regular clothes and yet he was wearing his Robin costume.

Robin pushed a button on his utility belt and there was a roar of an engine.

Mar'i looked over the side.

"A bike?"

"It's a motorcycle technically." Robin jumped from the top of the building.

"I want one," Mar'i whispered.

She watched Robin out on his helmet.

Jon looked at the GPS. It was in the middle of nowhere.

_Where the hell are we going?_

Mar'is black boots rose from the ground and she smiled at him.

"Are you ready to go?"

His lips were slightly agape before he swallowed.

Jon had never flown with someone like Mar'i before. She circled around the rising sun and extended her arms out above her head.

Mar'i let her hair catch aflame and it went down a moment later. She sighed and shut her eyes.

Mar'i was beautiful. Anyone could see that. It's like she wasn't real. If you were asked to describe the most beautiful person ever. You would just describe Mar'i Grayson.

"Ugh, I love flying! I love it!" She opened her eyes and flew in a giant circle.

"We should fly together! It will be fun! Let's race!"

"I'm good you'd probably win."

Only cause he was tired.

"Hm, fine let's just talk then."

They flew in silence before Mar'i asked: "what's your high school's name?"

"Are you in love with me? Because Mar'i we should just be friends I'm flat-"

Mar'i threw starbolt at him. He dodged it.

"People fall in love with me I don't fall in love with them."

"Wow. I want that tattooed if I could get tattoos which I can't because my skin literally would break the needle."

Mar'i snorted.

"My high school is called Lex Luther High School. It used to be Smallville High but like... Lex Luther made a big donation so they changed the name."

"Lex Luther... I think I've read one of his books-"

"He's terrible."

"Hm," Mar'i said flying ahead of him.

"Wait what's the 'Hm' for?"

"Nothing."

"Ok when a girl says nothing that usually means it's everything."

Mar'i turned and looked at him. She leaned close to his face. His neck became sweaty.

"Do you have much experience with girls?"

"No... do you?..."

She snorted in his face and rolled her eyes.

"I mean it though. Lex Luther is terrible."

"Okay, I believe you."

"Do you actually or are you just saying that?"

"X'hal you're so needy!"

He shrugged and they flew in silence again. Mar'i circled around him playfully. He would clear his throat and not look at her.

She flew past him and his hand grazed hers. He stopped and watched as she flew ahead.

_Dude calm down-_

"We're still going straight right?"

_"Yes!"_

His voice sounded squeaky and awkward. She didn't seem to notice and continued to fly.

Robin was there before them. He wasn't sure how that happened.

This house in the middle of nowhere was ginormous. It looked like a government facility. Mary kicked up some dead grass.

Robin rang a doorbell.

"Who's making my costume, you never told me-"

A black girl with short black hair and several ear piercings opening the door. She checked her watch and blinked her dark eyes at them.

"Wow, you guys are early."

"Is it ready?"

"Do I get a good morning?"

The young woman smiled and looked at Mar'i.

"You're Mar'i, I'm Maya."

Mar'i has her mouth slightly agape before grabbing Maya's hand and shaking it. (Maya wasn't even trying to shake her hand).

"I'm Mar'i-you know that- hi I'm Mar'i-"

"She knows that," Robin grunted.

"Right, I'm sorry. Hi."

"Hi." Maya stiffly laughed.

She opened her door further and the three of them walked inside.

* * *

**MAYA DUCARD - RESIDENCE**   
**8:12 AM LOCAL TIME**

Maya's home was more than enough room for one person. There weren't any pictures on the walls. There was art but no personal pictures or mirrors.

Mar'i looked at the purple spandex dress. The skirt of her dress cutoff at her upper thigh. She kept staring at herself in the mirror.

 _"Are you okay?"_ Maya knocked on the bathroom door.

"Yes! Sorry!" Mar'i opened the door and Maya looked up at her.

Maya was biting her bottom lip.

"What do I look bad-"

"Turn around real quick."

Mar'i turned back around. She felt Maya's hands pulling at the material and whispering to herself.

"You're very talented," Mar'i said.

"Thanks... I make and fix some people's superheroes suits."

"Do you have another job?"

"I have so many it's hard to keep track."

"I was thinking... I want a crown."

"You'll be like Sailor Moon," Maya whispered.

"I don't know what that is," Mar'i sighed touching her two index fingers together.

"You can't hang out with boys all the time. You gotta hang out with me I can show you what they can't."

"Ohh... wait what can you show me?"

Maya opened her mouth but Robin yelled; _"how long does it take to get dressed?!"_

Maya rolled her eyes, _"shut up!"_

Mar'i blinked.

"I'll make you a crown," Maya made a pose.

"Um-"

"It'll make more sense when you watch Sailor Moon."

"Oh okay."

"Oh, also I got you these." Maya grabbed a large box that was sitting next to the bathroom door.

Mar'i opened it. A pair of purple boots with black lining. Mar'i realized these boots were armor. Actual armor. Unlike her costume.

"I modeled them after Wonder Woman's."

"Wonder Woman..." Mar'i whispered.

"Do you know who Wonder Woman is?"

Mar'i nodded still staring at the boots.

She leaned down on the ground, slid off her own boots, and put them on instead.

The wedges of the heels made her a few inches taller.

Maya looked up at her.

"God I'm good." Maya looked her up and down.

Mar'i smiled before picking Maya up in her arms.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I owe you everything!" Mar'i kissed all over her round face.

"You're so lovely!" Maya kissed her one last time before putting her down.

 _"Hurry up!"_ Robin yelled.

"Coming!" Maya screamed at him.

_"God!"_

Mar'i flew towards Maya's living room and put her hands behind her back.

"Tada!" Mar'i smiled.

Robin and Jon stared at her.

"Do I look bad?" Mar'i frowned.

"No, they're just dumb." Maya sighed.

Both of them were still silent.

"I get it I'm ugly jeez." Mar'i put her arms around herself.

"No, you're not it's just_"

"You look pretty!" Jon yelled.

"Oh... thank you."

"You need a superhero name." Maya tapped her chin.

"Nightstar," Robin said sternly.

"Hm?"

"Nightstar."

"I like it!" Mar'i began to hover. "You're creative."

"No, I just put Starfire and Nightwing together." He responded blandly.

They were silent for a moment.

"Nightstar works for you." Jon nodded.

"Are you three like... a team?" Maya asked.

"Yes!" Mar'i nodded.

"No." Robin shook his head.

"Kinda." Jon scratched his neck.

"Wow, you guys are on the same page. Same minds really."

They should talk about if they're being a team. They were right? To Mar'i they were. Jon liked the idea of them being a team.

The fly (and drive) back to Blüdhaven was fast. Jon and Mar'i didn't really talk and just flew by one another. Mar'i was back in her civilian clothes.

"I need to borrow some money," Mar'i said to Robin as he was about to ride off.

"How much? Are you in trouble?"

"No, no, and I need to borrow... a hundred dollars..." Mar'i said.

Robin handed her three hundred dollars instead.

"But-"

"It's just three hundred not a big deal."

"Thanks."

Mar'i put back on her amulet. She blinked her eyes rapidly.

"You better go before someone you." Mar'i sighed.

He nodded before riding off on his bicycle.

Mary realized the people of Blüdhaven were just starting to get up. She guessed it was good that she was up too.

* * *

**ARKHAM ASYLUM**   
**10:16 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jill was being walked back to her cell. Contrary to what people may say, psych wards aren't that bad. The food was pretty good, you went to therapy, they let you go outside three times a day, there's tv, and a library. Sure there were crazy people as your only company but Jill didn't really mind. She supposed the worst thing about Arkham Asylum was that the guards were pretty forceful.

Her cell opened and she was forcefully pushed inside. It slammed shut.

"Mean."

She looked to see something on her bed. It was wrapped in pink fabric and a green polka dot bow.

Jill jumped on her bed and unwrapped the present.

 _Was this a trap?_ Probably.

It was a doll in a box smiling at her. Happy Hilda with neat blonde hair and a bright painted-on smile.

Jill picked up the note.

_I promised I was would get you a doll. I hope things get better for you. - Nightstar_

Jill took the doll out of the box and went towards the window.

"Nightstar..." she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell if I like this or not... oh well... also Maya Ducard stans make SO MUCH NOISE because DC forgot about her but I will never forget her-


	17. Issue #17

  
**WAYNE MANOR**   
**12:15 PM LOCAL TIME**

Damian wrote in his journal. He didn't actually write in it as much as he knew he should. He got it as a birthday present from Stephanie some years ago.

_"You hit puberty, Damian. Use it to get out your feelings."_

While her joke was crude to him it was a nice journal. Black leather with a brown tie around it. The papers were lined and the pages were numbered. He was on page fifty-five. He wrote in this journal black ballpoint _Bentley Pen_.

There was a knock on his door. Ace was playing with a toy on his carpeted floor.

"Come in." He said stopping his writing.

His door opened and Dick walked inside. He stopped writing but made no move to put down his journal or pen. Damian noticed a burn on his left arm.

"What happened to you?" He asked pointing with his pen.

Dick looked down. "I startled Mar'i while she was doing homework, her hair caught on fire and she burned me."

Damian wanted to laugh but he kept his face blank.

"I take it she's not here?"

"No."

"Then why are you here..."

Dick grabbed Aces toy and tossed it on the bed. Ace jumped on Damian's bed and began to growl and play.

"I needed to use the bat-computer. Also, I know we haven't hung out in a while so..."

"I've been busy," Damian shrugged looking down at his writing.

"Do you write in Arabic or English in your journal?"

"It depends on my mood." He informed.

He nodded. Damian shut his journal and looked at him.

"Is there something you want to talk about?"

Dick blinked. "Just wanted to talk."

"Well, you have a daughter for that."

"Hey come on... Mar'is not like you Damian I can't talk to her about things-"

"Like what?"

"I don't know like... superhero stuff. She wouldn't understand that." Dick sat on his bed.

Damian swallowed. "Right."

"And besides you're important to me just like she is."

_But not in the same way._

"Have you told anyone that she-"

"No."

Dick was growing more irritated and Damian decided he wasn't gonna push forward.

Ace barked and both of them looked at him. Dick grabbed the toy and threw it across Damian's room,

Ace ran to catch it.

"You don't hate me do you?"

Damian was startled.

"No, no, your decisions are yours and I respect them."

Dick smiled and ruffled Damian's head.

"You're annoying." Damian tried to fix his hair.

"Whatever you love me."

Later that day the house phone rang. Damian answered.

"Wayne Residence."

 _"Hey! Guess where I am?!"_ Duke yelled into the phone.

Damian pulled the phone away from his ear and rolled his eyes.

"Japan."

_"How'd you know?"_

Because Tim and Duke were both chosen by the board to go to four separate countries for Wayne Industries. Damian volunteered to go to China but Bruce said no. The company wanted to open another headquarters. Duke was looking into Japan and England. Tim was supposed to go to Switzerland and China.

 _"People have been asking to take pictures of me here,"_ Duke said into the phone.

"Why?"

_"Probably because I'm the only black person they've ever seen."_

Damian snorted and rubbed the back of his neck.

"When are you supposed to be coming back?"

The Wayne Household phone was a Rotary phone like most things in the house, things hadn't really been updated. There were several  
Rotary phones all throughout the house.

The only thing in the house that had been updated was the fridge.

_"You miss me huh?"_

"More than Drake."

_"I'm telling Tim."_

"Go ahead."

_"You know you love him."_

Damian rolled his eyes.

_"Can you put Bruce on? I have to talk to him about few things."_

Damian clenched his jaw before saying "a moment."

"Duke's on the phone!" Damian shouted towards Bruce's office.

"Got it!" Bruce yelled back.

Damian hung up the phone and went back to his room.

His cell phone rang and he rolled his eyes.

"What?"

 _"Is this how you normally answer the phone?"_ Jon's voice came from the other side.

Damian heard birds chirping and a tractor in the background.

"Where are you?"

_"Work. Mr. Bradwell from down the road asked me to help him plant a new cornfield. He said he's trying to get the big companies to come his way. I don't know why... corporations really have-"_

Damian zoned out.

"Is there a reason you called me, or did you just want to talk about the farm industry with me?"

_"Actually I was wondering if you and Mar'i want to patrol with me in Metropolis."_

"Sure, I think I can sneak away. Is there any reason why... you suddenly want us to patrol in Metropolis?"

_"Luthor."_

Jon's sweet Kansas accent always sounded so rough when he said the man's name.

"What'd he do now?"

_"Nothing. Yet. But dad's on some mission in space with the Justice League and it's my job to protect the city. He knows there's a super-powered alien down. He's gonna try something I just know it."_

Damian opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. He bit his bottom lip.

"How long is Superman away?" He asked finally.

_"I don't know. He called last night."_

There was yelling in the background.

 _"I''M COMING JUST A SECOND!"_ Jon yelled back.

Damian pulled the phone away from his ear before putting it back.

_"Can you get Mar'i for me?"_

"What you don't want to try and flirt with her yourself?" Damian was looking in his closet for his jacket.

_"That's so funny. You're so funny. You should be a comedian."_

"Father told me comedians are just depressed English majors." Damian tucked his phone into his shoulder and put on his brown leather jacket.

_"I'm hanging up now Mr. Bradwell_ _threw_ _a hammer at me."_

"What?"

_"Bye."_

Damian heard a dial tone. He was about to leave his room and stopped.

Should he be Robin?

Mar'i knew his name, but only his first name. She really didn't know anything about him.

He sighed and leaned against his door. Ace barked at him.

"My life is a giant conundrum." He said rubbing his eyes.

Ace turned his head to the side.

Damian clicked his tongue and took off his jacket.

"Time to change into something less comfortable."

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:10 PM LOCAL TIME**

Mary was walking with her books to her chest. She wore a white sweater and pink plaid skirt. Colin walked beside her. School had just gotten out and they were walking home together.

"You weren't at the party last weekend." He commented bored.

"Oh I told my dad about it and he said no." Mary sighed.

Technically it wasn't a lie. She did tell Dick she was invited to a party but she made no indication that she even wanted to go.

"It was a bust anyway." Colin sighed running a hand through his hair.

"I need to cut my hair."

"I like your hair," Mary said quickly.

He looked at her in the corner of his eye. She blushed and turned to look up at the sky.

"I think it's gonna rain today."

The sky was cloudy much to her disappointment.

"I like the rain," said Colin "it washes everything away."

"Yeah me too."

They arrived at their apartment buildings.

"Bye." She said before walking up the stairs.

Colin has his hands in his pockets and watched her.

"What are you doing? Do you want to come inside?" Mary asked confused.

"You're supposed to make sure a girl gets inside when you walk her home."

"Oh..."

"Go inside I can't stand here all day," Colin grunted.

She turned around and opened the apartment building door.

Colin waited a few seconds before crossing the street.

"Hi, Miss. Bridget do we have mail?" Mary asked the landlord.

Bridget put down her magazine and pushed back into her chair. Mary liked how it had wheels. She wanted to sit in and fly down the stairs in the chair.

Bridget popped her gum and handed Mary an envelope. Another handwritten envelope.

"How was school?" Bridget asked with a hand on her hip.

Mary stared at the letter.

"Okay, I don't like of Mice and Men."

"That the one with rabbits?" Bridget scratched her cheek.

"Yeah."

"The movies pretty good."

Mary nodded and gave a smile before walking up the apartment stairs.

The elevator had been broken for a long time and Bridget had given up on trying to fix it.

Mary took out her house key and was about to unlock it. She turned around quickly and caught the baseball bat before it hit her.

"Mr. Liselle it's me."

The old man looked at her and blinked. "Oh, Mary it's you."

He did this every day at the same time.

"Yes sir."

"This neighborhood is so bad these days. Wish it was wartime again. People are getting too comfortable."

"We're always at war," Mary responded.

"I blame the Koreans."

"Um, I don't think you're allowed to say that." Mary scratched her thigh uncomfortable.

"Put on clothes!" The old man yelled at her before slamming his door shut.

Mary turned around and walked into her apartment.

She shut the door and put her books down on the counter.

Dick had ordered her a book bag but it hadn't come yet.

She took off her amulet and walked into her room.

Robin was sitting on her bed trying to pet Jin. The cat was leaning away from him and he was glaring.

"What the fuck?" She let out tired.

Both Jin and Robin looked at her.

"Don't curse. It shows a lack of intelligence."

"This is why he doesn't like you." Mar'i rolled her green eyes.

"He will love me," Robin said threateningly.

Mar'i was silent. Jin hopped off her bed and exited her room.

"You have your costume?"

"Yes."

"Get dressed."

She shrugged and pulled down her skirt.

"What are you doing?!" Robin yelled at her.

She pulled the costume from the bottom of her sock drawer.

"Getting dressed. You just told me to get dressed..."

"I'm right here! You can't get dressed in front of me!" He put up his hold and turned around.

"Why? We have a platonic relationship shouldn't that mean we don't feel embarrassed when seeing-"

"Shut up and get dressed!" He snapped at her.

Mar'i mumbled something in Tamaranian and pulled on her costume.

"I am clothed." Mar'i sighed.

"Good. We're going to Metropolis."

"Why?"

Robin turned around to see Mar'i applying purple lipgloss.

"Superboy needs help managing the city."

Mar'i turned and grabbed her boots.

"Metropolis is... besides us?" She flinched knowing that wasn't the right word.

"It's near Gotham yes." Damian ignored her mistake.

Honestly, for someone who spoke English as a ninth language... she was good at it. She picked up on a lot of words faster than he could. But it was common for her to either pronounce things wrong or flat out forget a word.

She pulled on her boots and jumped.

"Do you want me to carry you?"

"I have a bike."

"Us flying would be faster-"

"Do not carry me." He made his way out her window.

"Wait!" She shouted.

He turned around.

"I have to feed Jin."

* * *

**METROPOLIS**   
**5:32 CENTRAL TIME**

Superboy had flown over the city hundreds of times now. It was fine. It was like Superman hadn't even left. It made him skittish.

He sat on the edge of the clock tower. All the way across from him was Luthor was sitting at his desk rummaging through papers.

"I hate you," Superboy said aloud.

"Excuse me?" Robin said from behind him. He jumped and turned around.

Nightstar and Robin were looking at him concerned.

"Not you! Him!"

"Who is this man again? I think I learned about him in my current events class."

"He's the devil," Superboy said.

"A bald devil who should be in jail but he's rich so he's not," Robin said.

"Bald devil... yes bald devil..." Nightstar was repeating.

"Yes." Superboy and Robin.

"How long has he been at his desk?" Robin took out binoculars and looked.

"Four hours."

Nightstar squinted her eyes. Robin handed her binoculars and she looked through them.

"Hm." She said before flying off towards the Lexcorp building.

"Mar'i!" Superboy yelled.

"Nightstar come back here!" Robin took out his grappling hook and flung himself off the building.

Nightstar ignored both of them. She was hovering outside Luthor's giant windows.

Superboy tackles her and she was flung to another building.

"Have you **lost** your mind?!" Superboy said sitting on top of her.

"Superboy," Robin said looking at the inside of the window.

"I know you're new but you can't just rush in there-"

"Superboy."

"Get yourself seen-"

 **"Superboy!"** Robin shouted.

"What?!" He turned around quickly.

"It's a hologram."

Superboy furrowed his eyebrows and flew towards the window.

The hologram would look at papers for five seconds, write something down and then lean back in his chair.

"Crap! I lost him! How do I lose Lex 'freaking' Luthor?!"

Nightstar finally stood and flew towards the window.

"Sorry." Superboy was blushing up to his ears and down to his neck.

Nightstar rolled her eyes.

"Clearly he wanted you to think he was still in the city."

Superboy turned around.

"Did you guys hear that?"

"No, we can't hear twelve miles away smart ass."

Superboy flew off.

A man was standing on the edge of a building looking down.

Superboy flew in front of him.

"Hi I'm Superboy." He said to the man.

"The 'S' gave it away."

Superboy nodded.

"Would you like to talk? Or I don't have to talk. You can just-"

The man sat down on the edge.

Superboy sat down next to him. They stayed silent.

Nightstar and Robin watched from the ground.

Robin squinted to see Superboys lips move. The man got up and held out his hand.

Superboy took his hand.

"I'm sorry," the man said.

"You have **nothing** to-"

There was a sharp pain in his neck and his eyes widened with panic.

"I really am sorry though."

Superboy felt his body sink and the wind screaming in his ears.

_I can't fly? Why do I feel so heavy... the ground is closer- wait am I falling?_

He couldn't blink. He waited for the ground to break his body into hundreds of pieces but instead, he felt arms wrap around him.

"I should let you fall considering you tackled me." Nightstar groaned.

"You're heavier than before?" She said to him.

He coughed on her chest and blood stained the purple fabric.

"X'hal!" She said taking him down to the ground.

Robin was on the ground watching.

"Here I've got him, throw this at the man who stabbed him."

Superboy let out a groan. Nightstar put him gently on the ground. She flew off. Superboy's eyes were glassy and squinted. All he saw was her fiery hair engulfing her body.

"You have to take me to..." Superboy coughed.

"God, you're heavy." Robin couldn't even lift his friend's head.

"Emil Hamilton. Emil Hamilton Damian."

"Where does he live?"

Superboy passed out.

"Damn it."

Nightstar flew back down and had a gash on her cheek.

"Did you hit him?"

"I think."

"You think?!"

"Stop yelling at me!" Nightstar cried.

"I'm not yelling!" Robin yelled.

They both stared at each other before Robin pulled out a device.

"We're going to Emil Hamilton's house you're going to have to carry him."

Nightstar nodded. She picked him up, she was clearly struggling but said nothing.

"Alright let's go."

Both Nightstar and Robin flew off into the night.


	18. Issue #18

  
**METROPOLIS**   
**6:00 PM LOCAL TIME**

Emil Hamilton sat in his favorite loveseat. Superman had told him he would be away on some mission for the Justice League and Superboy, the man believed was more than capable. He couldn't remember the last time he sat down and enjoyed his free time.

He had eaten dinner earlier (by himself) and watched the news. He flipped open _Gone with the Wind_ for the second time in thirty-two years. He flipped through to find the last place he stopped.

The doorbell rang.

The man rubbed his eyes checked his clock. Six pm. Not late into the night but he had not expected visitors.

The doorbell kept ringing out over and over.

"Gah!" He threw his book down on the coffee table and walked towards his front door.

He tightened his robe and opened the door with great vigor.

Before him were two teenagers and Superboy. He was sweating and he looked as if he was shivering.

The girl, who was tall, muscular, and in a purple dress asked; "Hamilton?"

"My God... come inside."

The two of them came inside quickly.

"Where should I-"

"Put him on the couch."

The girl was struggling clearly but she said nothing as she placed him as gently as possible on Dr. Hamilton's couch.

"What happened?" The doctor asked already checking Superboy's pulse.

"He was helping a jumper, then he got stabbed with some needle then the next thing we saw he was falling from the sky," Robin explained.

Nightstar brushed some hair from Superboy's sweaty forehead.

"He was heavy too..." Nightstar said to Hamilton.

"Bring him here," Hamilton said looking at Nightstar.

Nightstar stretched before picking up Superboy bridal style.

"Did you get a sample of what he got injected with?"

Both Nightstar and Robin were quiet.

Nightstar and Robin were lead to a door. Dr. Hamilton opened the door and the lights were turned on.

A lab was in the man's garage, set up along the walls were monitors, IVs, and computers. Nightstar put Superboy as gently as she could on a table in the center of the room.

The room was so white it actually physically hurt Robin's eyes.

Emil Hamilton began to type and poke Superboy with needles.

"I'm sorry," Nightstar whispered to Robin.

"For what?"

"I don't know, I just feel like this is my fault."

Robin tisked, "don't be annoying none of this is your fault."

Nightstar blinked, she watched as Robin pulled out a device.

"Good the tracker hit him, let's go."

"Fascinating. It's putting on bone mass..." Dr. Hamilton whispered to himself.

"What's it doing to him?" Robin asked looking at Superboy and hearing his shallow breaths.

"Well from what I see it's adding weight to his bone mass, which is probably why you had trouble carrying him. Eventually, his heart will be crushed because of the pure..." he stopped talking when seeing Nightstar and Robin's faces.

"I could cure him but I need a sample of-"

"We're already on it, Nightstar let's go." Robin left giving Superboy one last look.

Nightstar flew after him.

"The person who did this is probably a freelancer, he's either going to report back to Luthor directly or communicate with him in some way."

"Wouldn't he be smarter than that? Wouldn't he wait until he knows Superboy is dead?"

"People aren't as smart as you think they are."

* * *

**METROPOLIS**   
**7:15 PM LOCAL TIME**

"I still don't understand-"

"You aren't paid to understand." Mercy said looking at her phone.

Derek Summers looked out the window. When he was told he was gonna kill Superboy he laughed in Luthor's face. He was then punched in the throat by Mercy Graves for daring to laugh in the man's presence. They stood in one of his facilities there was a rat in a clear box

 _"You wanna kill Superboy? Why? Don't you always wanna kill Superman?"_ Derek had asked while rubbing his sore throat.

 _"For testing perfume do you know who we test on?"_ Luthor looked at the rat in the box.

_"What?"_

_"We test on rats first. You need to see your results first, you can't send out a product that's faulty."_ He pressed a button on a control and a green gas filled the box.

The white rat ran around in a circle trying to escape.

_"So this is to see what will happen to Superman?"_

The rat fell over, it was still breathing.

 _"You defeat the weak and then you can go after the strong."_ Luthor leaned down and watched the rat.

_"Superboy... weak... you know he can stop a train with his bare fucking hands right?"_

_"Yes, but like Superman, he has a bleeding heart so you're going to pretend to be a jumper."_ The man said it as if it was obvious.

Of course, just pretend you're going to kill yourself, God Derek, you're an idiot!

The rat closed its eyes. For a few seconds, it was still, suddenly blood was splattered all across the clear box. Derek jumped and held a hand to his chest. Luthor nodded and looked to Mercy.

_"Get him what he needs. Contact me, Miss. Graves when you're finished."_

He tried to leave but Derek called. " _Wait why are you asking me? I'm just a janitor sir."_

Luthor turned, _"but I think you could be more."_

Derek Summers noticed not many cars were out, not even taxis.

 _They know._ Derek thought paranoid.

They knew he murdered Superboy and all the people in the city were meeting to plot his murder. He may have been having a panic attack.

The limo stopped at a red light.

There was a loud crash towards the front of the car. Derek and Mercy fell forwards.

"What the-"

Both of them looked towards the windshield. A girl with golden skin and a purple dress was stepping on the front of the car. Her head was tilted to the side.

"What the h-!"

There was a pressure on the top of the car. Mercy got a gun from beneath the car seat. She began to shoot at the top of the car. Derek jumped. He hated loud noises.

The girl with golden skin pulled the car door off. She grabbed him by the throat and threw him.

Mercy's eyes widened. She fired the gun at the golden girl. Fire came from her hands. Mercy hissed and dropped the gun.

_Did she just melt..._

"Hi I'm Nightstar, let's have a quick conversation."

"Okay..." Derek trembled.

He noticed Robin on the top of the car. He jumped down and walked towards both of them.

"Oh fuck."

"Should we take her as well?" Nightstar asked.

She frowned.

"Where the hell did she go?"  
  


* * *

**METROPOLIS**   
**7:59 PM LOCAL TIME**

He got punched in the face.

"Nightstar knock it off." Robin crossed his arms.

Nightstar glared and down the chair opposite of Derek Summers. Robin chose to stand.

"Luthor made me do it," Derek yelled.

"He held a gun to your head?" Robin's voice was harsh.

"Have you ever said no to Lex Luthor? Because if you have and lived to do it please tell me about your power."

"We need to know where you got that **poison**."

"I don't know!"

Nightstar was about to punch him again but Robin grabbed her arm.

Robin leaned down towards the young man's face.

"Luthor is going to kill you. You must know that he's not gonna let you live on, you're a loose thread. If you help us I can make sure you don't suddenly _go missing_."

"Are you threatening me?" Derek gasped.

Robin grabbed his shirt and pulled him up off the chair.

"I'm saving you, idiot."

"It was a warehouse. I don't know where it was honest they literally put a hood over my head and put me in the trunk." Derek shook his head quickly.

"What type of warehouse was it?" Nightstar asked cracking her knuckles.

"I don't know some lab... there was a rat in a box..." he swallowed at the memory.

Robin grunted and took something out of his pocket. He walked towards Nightstar.

"Lex Luthor has twelve warehouses within Metropolis."

"We should split up... I take-"

"No."

Nightstar blinked. "What? Superboy will be dead if we take each one at a time."

"If Lex Luthor finds you by yourself he will kill you."

"Why?"

"Because he hates aliens."

"Why?"

"Because that's who he is!" Robin threw his hands up in the air.

"Jonny is going to die," Nightstar whispered. "We have to split up. We don't have a choice."

He was so angry that she was right.

He gave her a list of the warehouses and watched her fly off.

"What about me?" Derek Summers asked sheepishly.

"Stay here. I'll come back for you."

Before Derek could respond, Robin jumped out the window.

* * *

 **MEANWHILE AT HAMILTON'S** **LAB**  
 **8:36 PM CENTRAL TIME**

"Come on you're not allowed to die!" Dr. Hamilton began to do CPR.

This was the sixth time the boy had to be resuscitated. He was sweating but his temperature was cold.

"You can't die yet. You're Superboy for God's sake, you're gonna let poison to take you out?!" The man yelled.

The defibrillators sent a shock through his body. His heartbeat was steady (for now).

"This is why I never got to be married." Dr. Hamilton joked to himself.

He waited for Superboy to say a quip. He was silent.

* * *

**METROPOLIS**   
**8:40 PM CENTRAL TIME**

This was her fourth warehouse. Her hands were starting to hurt from breaking down the large metal doors.

This seemed to be what Derek Summers had described. She walked forward looked through drawers.

_If I was a poison where would I be?_

"Hello there."

Nightstar turned around with a star bolt in her hands. Bright orange.

A bald man and an expensive suit were standing with his hands behind his back. His eyes were piercing and he seemed to be amused.

Nightstar was silent.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're Lex Luthor." She responded.

He nodded. He took a few steps forward. She glared and threw a star bolt aggressively next to his head. He didn't jump but he stopped walking.

"I assume you're here for the poison. To try and make an antidote... here."

Luthor threw something a glass bottle. She caught it quickly and looked at it.

"What is-"

"An antidote."

"You put all this effort into killing Superboy and you're just gonna give me a cure."

She wasn't an idiot. She may not be good at school but she understood people.

"I have no idea what you're referring to... Mr. Summers is a disgruntled employee, we feared he would try something like this."

_Bullshit._

"Happy to be of help." He nodded.

Nightstar flew out of the building.

"Why'd did you do that?" Mercy asked watching the girl fly off.

"I'm making an investment Mercy. I need Superboy alive for her to continue coming to Metropolis."

They began to walk out of the warehouse.

"From what I have read Tamaranean's powers depend on their emotions I need to see her in action... Superboy dying would ruin my research."

"From what you told me... they're a team."

"They could get in the way of things." Mercy rubbed her temples at the thought of fighting teenagers.

"I doubt they're going to be a problem Mercy please calm yourself." He said amused.

"I killed Derek Summers as you asked. It looked like an accident."

She opened the limo door for Luthor. He got in and looked straight ahead.

"A tragic accident. Send a fruit basket to his mother."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

* * *

**HAMILTON LAB**   
**9:20 PM LOCAL TIME**

Robin looked down at Superboy.

"I have the antidote! I have it!" Nightstar held out a bottle.

"Antidote how do you-" before Robin could finish his question Dr. Hamilton grabbed the bottle.

"Wait we should-"

Dr. Hamilton put the liquid into a syringe and injected it into Superboy's neck.

Superboy's eyes snapped open and he sat up. His eyes filled with panic. He coughed and spit on the floor.

Dr. Hamilton let out a "Hm."

"Are you alright?" Robin asked.

"What happened?" Superboy coughed again and rubbed his neck.

"You almost died and I saved you." Nightstar did a pose.

"It was more complex than that." Robin leaned in front of Nightstar.

"Oh... cool... sounds fun." Superboy nodded.

"Well children this has been an emotionally exhausting night so if you could all just," he gestured towards the door.

"Thank you, Doctor... we'll be leaving."

Dr. Hamilton walked them towards the front door. He bid the trio goodbye again before shutting it. He forgot _Gone with the Wind_ for the night and went straight to bed.

"Lex Luthor gave me the antidote," Nightstar said as they walked.

Both boys stopped and looked at her.

"And you came here and let us use it anyway?!" Robin shouted.

"Well, it worked." Superboy sighed.

"I would have just killed him if it didn't." Nightstar ran a hand through her long black hair.

She looked at both of them.

"You can't do that." Superboy hastily said.

"Do what?"

"Kill people." Both boys said.

"Why?"

"Because you just can't. If we're gonna be a team you have to say you aren't gonna kill someone just because they're a villain."

Robin watched Superboy throw his hands in the air. Nightstar didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Sure."

"No, you have to promise." Superboy pointed at her.

"X'hal why?" Nightstar rolled her neck.

"Just do it." Robin rolled his eyes under his mask.

Nightstar rolled her eyes and got down at one knee.

"I, Mar'i of Tamaran, house of Andor, first in line for the Royal thrown promise to the gods that had existed, do exist and will exist that I will not kill anyone." She bowed her head and spread her arms behind her.

"Okay I know you were making fun of me just know but that did sound kinda cool." Superboy scratched his head.

Mar'i snorted and stood up.

Robin remained silent.

_Easier said than done._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> personally I think Mar'i should be allowed to murder anyone she sees fit but that's just me.


	19. Issue #19

**TITANS TOWER, SAN FRANCISCO**   
**19 YEARS AGO**

It was a relaxed day. Rare for all of them. All the Titans sat in the common area seemingly doing their own thing.

Raven was talking to Kory about certain plants she could put in the garden. Jericho was sleeping in a chair. Garfield and Vic were playing some old video game they had been playing for years. Dick was watching casually. Wally was eating a plate of nachos quite sloppy. Roy was smoking with the window open.

Gar paused the game and looked at Roy.

"Can you not smoke in here?!"

Roy gestured to the open window that he was nowhere near, and let out a puff of smoke.

"Dude! I have the nose of a bloodhound can you knock it off? I'm losing because of you."

"You're losing cause you suck." Vic flicked him in the ear.

"I hate when you do that," Gar said and unpaused the game.

"That's why he does it," Dick said bored.

The door to the living room slid open.

"So who missed me?!" Donna Troy yelled with her arms raised. A small suitcase next to her side.

"I did!" Kory smiled and flew over.

She took Donna into her arms and spun her around.

Dick jumped over the couch and jogged over.

All the Titans stopped what they were doing and rushed to their comrade.

"How's Terry?" Jericho kissed the top of Donna's head.

"He had a conference up in New York so he decided to take Robbie with him... so I am free for the next week!"

"You almost sound relieved your child and husband are gone," Raven said amused.

"Oh of course not. But if I get to go a whole week without hearing a baby cry." Donna landed on the couch and pressed play on Gars controller.

"Donna that's mine!"

"You're losing again."

"Oh shush."

Garfield turned into a bird and watched Donna play Vic.

Everyone slowly went back to what they were doing. The doorbell rang.

All the Titans looked at each other.

"NOT IT!" They put a finger to their noses.

"Gar go get the door," Roy said chewing gum.

"That's not fair! I was an owl I didn't have arms!"

"Too bad you know the rules." Wally ran towards the sink and began to wash his dish.

"You're closer to the door! And you have super speed!"

"Just go Green Bean," Vic said focused on his game.

Garfield Logan groaned all the way from the front door. He was silent and stayed there for a long time.

"Garfield... are you alright?" Kory yelled.

"Um, Donna?" Garfield yelled scared.

"What?"

"You know how you said you were excited you get to go a whole week without a baby crying?"

Everyone stopped and looked towards the closed door.

"Yeah?"

The doors to the living room slid open.

In Garfield's hands was a small baby wrapped in a fluffy pink blanket.

"I think your plans might have to change."

"Where the hell did you get that?!" Roy yelled pointing his finger.

"Costco, where the fuck do you think?! She was at our door."

"Don't curse in front of the baby!" Jericho signed and slapped Garfield in the back of the head.

"Oh, she's so cute!" Kory gushed and took her gently from Garfield's hands.

"Our security cameras skipped ten seconds... someone didn't was us to know who put her here." Vic leaned over the control table.

"Someone hacked into our cameras without you knowing?" Dick asked concerned.

"I don't like it either. Hold on. I'll be in the lab to see if there's any other-"

"Oh no, no, no we are not gonna ignore the baby elephant in the room," Wally said pointing at Kory.

"She's so cute I want to kill her." The baby grabbed at Kory's finger.

"Kory that's not the saying," Raven informed.

"No, I'm pretty sure she's right." Garfield scratched his cheek.

Wally ran to the front of the tower.

"Vic we need to find out who this kid belongs too. Forget our security for a sec." Roy Harper used his hands to talk often. He was punching his hand repeatedly with each word.

"She's yours," Wally said holding a letter.

"What?" Roy asked confused.

Wally handed him the letter. Roy read it. Looked at the baby (who was now sleeping in Garfield's arms).

"I'm gonna... I'm gonna..."

"Roy are you okay? You look more pale than usual." Jericho signed with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm gonna. I'm gonna..."

"You're going to?" Raven nodded and waved her hand trying to get him to finish.

"I think I'm gonna vomit." He shuddered running.

"Wait we should go after him."

They all turned to Dick.

"He needs time to process..."

Sometimes Dick Grayson would say things he thought were stupid but people would go along with it and he had no idea why.

The baby began to cry and Garfield shushed her quietly.

"I think she's hungry," Garfield said.

"We have pizza I think" Wally opened the fridge.

"Baby's can't eat pizza idiot." Garfield scoffed.

"Obviously not dumbass, we blend it up." Wally got out a pizza box.

"Donna... do you..." Kory looked at Donna with a strange look.

"Do I what..."

"Do you still have..." Kory looked at Donna's chest.

"Kory!" Dick yelled.

The baby began to wale loudly.

"Wait, Donna can you-" Jericho didn't get to finish before Dick punched him in the arm.

"Absolutely not!" Donna gasped.

"We have applesauce in the fridge," Vic said holding a plastic spoon with some applesauce.

"Oh, I'll feed her." Kory clapped.

"Careful with her head Kor, her neck isn't strong enough yet."

"You're surprisingly good at this," Raven said with a cocked eyebrow.

"I love kids. I want a whole litter." Garfield threw up his arms with a big smile on his face.

"I want children... I want twelve..." Kory said looking at the baby with love-struck eyes.

Jericho elbowed Dick in the stomach. Wally patted Dick on the chest.

"Shut up," Dick whispered.

"Well, Kory we could have kids. What do orange and green make?"

"Brown," Dick said.

"Alright diversity!" Garfield raised his hand for someone to high-five.

When no one did he lifted up Raven's hand and made her hand touch his. He kept it there for a few seconds before she pulled it away with an annoyed blush.

"Does she have a name?" Wally asked.

Dick looked at the basket she was brought in. A note card which said; Lian.

"Lian. It means Lotus flower in Chinese... We should find out who her parents are." He looked at Vic.

"In that letter, it said she was Roy's." Wally looked at the baby.

He would be lying if he said she didn't kinda look like him.

"Just because a random letter says it doesn't mean it's true." Dick shook his head.

"I'll take a sample from her. Kory give me the baby." Vic held out his hands.

Kory pouted by handed the baby over.

"Come on Lian let's find out where you came from," Vic said softly. Lian clapped and gurgled.

"We should probably look around the city. See if we find anyone unusual. Someone who dropped her off must be quick. We need to find them before they leave the city." That was all Dick had to say before they all ran off.

"You're not coming?" Kory asked flying in place.

"I'm gonna help Vic in the lab."'

Kory nodded and flew out the door.

* * *

**TITANS LAB**

"Wanna hold her while I take a sample?"

Dick was staring off before he shook his head.

"Um wait-"

"She's a baby Dick, not a lion."

Dick held the baby awkwardly in his arms. Lian stared at him unhappily. She didn't cry just glared.

"Alright just keep her still I need to get a saliva sample."

"She'll choke!" A voice said startling both of them.

"Roy... good you're here." Vic beckoned him over.

Roy seemed to ignore that Lian was there.

"I need a salvia sample from you too." Vic turned to him.

"Sure want me to spit on you?" Roy asked innocently.

"No that would contaminate the sample," Vic said innocently in return.

Lian began to fidget.

"I doubt she's gonna be able to spit so I'm gonna have to swab towards the back of her throat."

Vic held a swab. Lian kept her mouth shut.

"Come on please?"

Lian grabbed the swab from him.

"Can I have that back?"

Lian tried to stab Dick in the eye.

Dick took the swab from her and handed it back to Vic. Lian began to cry.

With her mouth open, Vic stuck the swab in the baby's mouth. She looked down at it. When it was removed from her mouth she began to wail even louder.

"Good job." Lian slapped the robotic part of Vic's face.

It made a banging noise. She stopped crying and hit him again.

"Vic does that hurt?"

"She's six months old at the most she doesn't have a lot of power in her punches."

Lian finally stopped crying and yawned. She shut her eyes and went to sleep.

Dick looked around.

"Where should I put her?" He whispered.

Vic's none robotic eye widened.

"Um..."

"Wally set up a crib." Roy gestured for Dick to follow him.

"That fast?" Dick asked.

"What do you expect." Vic shrugged.

At this point... he wasn't sure.

Dick followed Roy out of the lab. The crib was in the medical bay. The lights were blinding but Lian didn't seem to mind. She was probably one of the babies that once they go to sleep they're out for a while.

"You know who her mother is don't you." Dick watched Lian's chest moved up and down.

"Yeah..."

"Are you gonna tell me?"

Roy exhaled and left the room.

Dick let out a sigh and followed him,

"We're gonna find out can't you just tell me?" Dick threw up his arms.

"You're gonna say something to piss me off if I tell you. So you have to promise to not be an asshole." Roy stabbed a finger into Dick's chest.

"I'm gonna be honest I don't think I can promise that."

Roy laughed and slapped him in the back of the head. He leaned against the wall they both stopped laughing.

"It's Cheshire... Jade Nguyen is her mom..."

"Cheshire... didn't she... didn't she try and kill us... like several times... when did you even have the time?"

"Do you want a play-by-play of my sexual history with her or?" Roy asked in a sardonic tone.

"History... did this happen more than once?!"

Roy didn't answer but his silence was defining.

"Oh, God?!"

"See I knew you were gonna be an asshole." Roy rubbed his forehead.

"I'm not being an asshole!"

"Says the asshole."

Dick let out a deep sigh. He was too young to be this stressed.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"You should be... dick." Roy pushed his arm.

"Can't believe everyone's having kids and moving on with their lives before me."

"Dick... you're like eighteen... I think you forget that."

Technically Garfield was younger than Dick by a year but considering that Dick was the leader... Garth was twenty-four and he got married last June. Donna was twenty one and she had a child.

"Me and Kory should get married." He said randomly.

"What?!"

"We should get married... that's not a bad idea."

"You should probably talk to Kory about this and Bruce and like so many other people first."

"Why should I talk to Bruce? He doesn't like Kory anyways."

While he was on slightly better terms with Bruce... he didn't understand his dislike of Kory. She had never met him directly.

"Well yeah but... he's Bruce he should know you're planning on getting married..."

Dick rolled his eyes.

"Wait a minute how the hell did this become about you?"

"I'm sorry."

"I can see you and Kory getting married though."

"Yeah?"

Roy shut his eyes. "Yeah, and you two would have like six kids. Three boys and three girls. And you guys would have like a pool or something."

Roy and Dick laughed.

"But I can see it really clearly in my mind. You two. I can see it. Maybe not now but later."

"You're gonna leave aren't you?" Dick whispered.

"Yeah."

"Are you gonna tell Oliver?"

"Oh fuck, I have to tell Oliver! I have to tell Dinah... oh this is gonna suck!" He groaned and slid to the ground.

"Yeah... it probably is... hey mom and dad look what I did." Dick mimicked.

"Aaaaaah!!!!" Roy rubbed his eyes.

They both sat on the floor watching Lian sleep.

The search ended up being a bust. Which Dick knew it would be. It was later that night. Lian slept in Roy's room.

There was a knock on Kory's door waking her up. She rolled over and checked the time. It was close to two am. She got up slowly and pushed her door open. There was a button that was supposed to open it when she pushed it but Kory pushed it so hard that it broke.

"Dick what do-"

He grabbed her face and kissed her. Her green eyes widened and she stared at him through the kiss. He pulled away and swallowed.

"I don't-"

"Will you marry me?"

She was silent before she punched him in the arm.

"That's not funny!" She snapped.

"What? I'm not trying to be funny."

Kory grabbed the door and slammed it shut.

"We can't get married, Dick."

"Why not?"

She looked at him and swallowed. "Where is this coming from?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you just suddenly asking me to marry you? We have never talked about marriage before so I don't understand."

She tilted her head to the side confused. He wanted to kiss her again so badly he felt his hands shaking.

"I love you."

"Dick shut up." Kory sighed and rubbed her temples.

"So do you want to not marry me?"

Like most things, he didn't think this through.

"I want to marry you more than anything." She whispered.

It sounded better in her head and she quickly became embarrassed.

"I got you a ring pop." He handed it to her.

It was still in the wrapper.

"I still don't understand-"

"I want to get married! And we can have kids! And a dog and an apartment in the city and I just want to be with you all the time and you make me feel things and I'm talking so much I swear I'm not drunk or anything!"

Kory kissed him. His heart was beating so hard it made his chest hurt. They fell back on her bed and she pulled away. His face was pink.

"Ask me in a year to marry you and I'll say yes."

"Why a year?"

"Because then I'll know you actually mean it."

He nodded and pushed some hair out of her face.

"I want my ring pop back then." He leaned up and tried to grab it.

She put a hand on his chest and pushed him down. She tore into the wrapper with her teeth and put it on her ring finger she licked it.

"I take it back I don't want to marry you anymore." He laughed.

Kory laughed and leaned down. He grabbed her hand and put the candy in his mouth. She took off the ring and put it back in the wrapper. Kory put it on her nightstand.

"You're gonna forget you're gonna want to marry me." She shrugged.

"A year later I'm going to ask you to marry me." He was giving her that starry-eyed look.

"And then I'll say yes."

"Good." He smiled.

MEANWHILE IN RAVEN'S ROOM

Candles were lit all over her room. Her eyes were shut as tight as she could manage. Her lights were off and she whispered:

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos"

She had repeated the phrase over a hundred times tonight. She hadn't slept yet even though it was close to the sun rising.

"Let me out." That voice said.

"No."

"Stupid girl you can't keep me in here forever. I'm going to be free once more."

"I would rather die than let you out again."

Her father wailed angrily. Her eye twitched in annoyance.

Her friends didn't know of her father. Or of her true origins.

"Your friends will hate you once they find out."

"No, they won't." She whispered.

"Is this how you would treat your only family?"

"The people of Azarath did more for me than you ever did."

"Disrespectful little-"

The fire of her candles grew hotter and hotter and she began to sweat.

"Shut up!" She yelled.

Her mirror cracked down the middle. She opened her eyes and touched her chest. She felt her heart clench and she let out a cry.

There was a knock on her door. She put her hand over her mouth. She got up and pushed the button to open her door.

Garfield Logan was standing there with his eyebrows concerned.

"Hey I was walking to my room and I heard you scream... are you okay?" He asked alarmed.

It's not like she hadn't seen Gar in distress but it had never really been towards her alone.

She stared.

"God it looks like Hell's version of Bath and Bodyworks in here Rey what the hell were you doing?"

"Meditation."

"This kinda looks like the opposite effect of meditation."

"I'm fine really Garfield." She crosses her arms and held her head high.

He frowned. "Okay... um, tell me if you need anything."

She nodded and her door shut. She put her head in her hands and sank to the floor.

"You're not coming out... I'm not going to let you destroy this too." She whispered.


	20. Issue #20

**WAYNE MANOR**   
**7:20 AM LOCAL TIME**

Damian poked at his breakfast. Bruce, Selina, and Helena were the only ones at the table. Which was how it was for almost every morning.

No one really lived in the manor beside them. People stopped by, no one really stayed.

"Are you not hungry Master Damian?"

Damian jumped and turned to Alfred. The man had his hands behind his back.

Damian looked back at his oatmeal.

"I'm just tired." He shrugged.

Alfred nodded and handed Bruce a letter.

Bruce thanked him and opened it. He read it several times then groaned.

Selina sipped her mimosa and grabbed the letter. She read it and chuckled.

"The bat has to leave his cave hm?"

"We're going somewhere?" Helena said with a mouthful of pancake.

Damian kicked her under the table. She glared at him and chewed with her mouth shut.

"A new museum is opening. Well, an old museum. They finally finished fixing up the new Gotham History Museum."

Over a year ago Joker had trashed the museum and killed several people on the opening night.

"The security's gonna be way more strict." Selina finished her mimosa.

Damian grabbed his book bag.

"You have to go?" Damian asked

"You're coming too you haven't been to these events in a long time."

That "long time" was last month. Damian sighed and left the kitchen.

"I'm not going!" He yelled.

"I'll go!" Helena said excitedly.

"No!" Bruce and Selina shouted.

Helena groaned.

* * *

**GOTHAM ACADEMY**   
**8:12 AM LOCAL TIME**

He sat in physics. He wasn't really paying attention. A note was passed onto his desk.

He opened it, it read;

_ARE YOU GOING TO THE GALA TONIGHT? :)_

He glanced to see Maps smiling at him.

_I HAVE TO._

He passed it under his desk. It passed by a few people before it finally reached her again. She read it before giving him a pout.

"It'll be fun." She mouthed.

"No, it won't." He mouthed.

She rolled her eyes and playfully glared. The bell rang and Damian got his bag.

"So you're going to this thing than?" Damian asked Maps.

"Yeah, I have to go considering my mom helped with the designing of the building."

"Kyle is actually going?" Damian raises a brow to that.

Maps blushed. Her brother was a senior and barely came to school as it was. Damian hadn't seen him outside or inside of school for a month.

"He's supposed to... at least you're gonna be there so I won't be alone."

Damian was actually planning on hiding the whole time but he supposed that plan had to be changed.

"It could be fun also free food!" She waved her hands.

"I'm gonna complain the whole time just so you know."

"All you do is complain." She rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I'm good at it." He shouted at her.  
  


* * *

**DAMIAN'S FIRST GALA**   
**7 YEARS AGO**   
  


The gala was a year after he arrived and the event was at the manor. He was annoyed with everyone pinching his cheek and calling him cute. He wasn't cute. He was deadly.

He hadn't really explored the west wing of the house and decided now was a good time to. He opened a door and saw it was a bedroom. Various pictures were hanged on the wall.

This was Dick's room. He quickly realized. He hadn't met the first Robin yet. Apparently, he was always in the neighboring city.

He decided he already had invaded Dick's privacy so what was a little more. He looked through some of Dick's drawers. There was a picture beneath some folded shirts.

He looked at it.

It was a Polaroid of Dick and a girl with big red hair and golden skin. Dick was looking at her with bright eyes and a small smile. She was looking at the camera with a peace sign and a big wide smile. There was writing on the picture. He didn't recognize it. It was almost like Egyptian hieroglyphics but not quite.

He squinted at it.

"What are you doing in here?" A voice asked.

He didn't jump or seem startled. Damian turned around.

"That tux makes you look like Erik from _Phantom of the Opera_."

Tim shut his eyes and let out a breath.

"This is Dick's room you can't be in here."

"Says who?"

"Bruce."

"When my father says to jump do you always ask how high?"

"When your father says jump usually it's because there's a reason to jump."

Tim's hair was slicked back and he wore a tux. To Damian, he looked cheap.

"What language is this?" Damian asked pointing to the words on the Polaroid.

"It's Tamaranian."

He looked at the picture again. He showed Tim the picture again.

"Who's she?"

"That's Kory. She's like his ex."

"Have you met her?"

"No. Jason knew her though."

"Is she dead?" Damian looked for more signs of this woman around his room.

"No, actually she's on her home planet."

Tim and Damian looked at Dick.

He wearing civilian clothes so it was clear he didn't come from the gala. He had a book bag hanging off his shoulder.

"Wow... how badly do you have to mess up where a girl leaves earth?" Damian flicked the picture in Dick's direction.

Dick raised a brow. "Oh, so _you're_ Damian."

"I told you he's a-"

"Dick?" Dick finished for Tim and picked up his picture.

"I'm right here." Damian glared.

Dick looked at his picture and put it on his bookshelf.

"I'm Dick Grayson." He introduces sticking out his hand towards Damian.

"I know." He responded not even glancing at his hand.

Dick nodded and threw his bag on his bed.

"Our breakup was a mutual decision by the way," Dick informed sitting on his bed.

"That's what people say when they get dumped." Damian droned.

"Well, she's a princess so-"

"You dated an alien princess?"

"I'm a man of many talents." Dick smiled.

Damian blinked and left his room. He pushed past Tim. Tim was about to yell something at him but Damian said.

"Not a word Phantom."

* * *

**PRESENT DAY**   
**8:36 CENTRAL TIME**

"Are you listening to me, Damian?"

Damian blinked several times and looked around.

How long had he been staring off?

"No," Damian answered his father.

Bruce sighed. "I told you, stay with me I don't want you starting anything. Not tonight."

"Oh but I love drama."

Bruce glared.

"I mean it, Damian."

"Fine. I'll be... good..." he made a face.

"Can you say it without looking like someone punched you in the stomach?"

"I don't think I can honestly."

The limo stopped.

"We are here sir," Alfred said rolling down the limo divider.

Damian looked out the tinted windows. The flashing lights were already giving him a headache.

"Smile," Bruce said buttoning his suit.

"No." He said rolling his head.

The door to the limo opened.

_I wonder what Mar'i and Jon are doing._

People called out his name and he let out a sigh. The entrance to the museum was being held open by two ushers. They nodded at Damian.

The museum looked completely different. It went from two stories to three. The bottom layout was different.

"Hi, Mr. Wayne." Maps smiled.

She wore a black pantsuit and she had small earrings on.

"Oh hello, Mia." Bruce nodded at her.

She looked at Damian. "Damian they have an art exhibit on the second floor."

Damian opened his mouth but Bruce said, "he would love to."

Damian gave him a look and followed Maps.

"Where's your brother?"

"He's with my mom backstage."

Damian held onto the railing and looked down. People were drinking and looking at various artifacts.

"Please don't leave me alone here... there's only so much fake smiling I can do." Maps stood in front of a landscape painting.

"Fine." He shrugged.

"Good." She smiled.

Maps began to talk about the architecture of the building. Damian stared at an old Victorian painting.

"You want something to drink?" She asked.

"Yeah."

Maps nodded and left.

He walked around and looked at various paintings. He glanced at the staircase for a second. A girl in a long black dress was walking up the stairs. Her back was strapless, she turned around. They made eye contact and she continued to go up the stairs.

He followed up the stairs.

"Hey, so I got us apple... Damian?" Maps held two glasses of apple cider.

She pouted and looked around.

"I'm gonna kick his ass." She sighed and drank both glasses.

The third story of the building was dedicated to statues. He saw her again walking in a circle around a statue of Artemis. She then walked and stood in front of a statue of a tiger.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

There weren't many people in this section of the museum. Most were on the first floor.

"I like art." She responded.

Her lipstick was bright red.

"Tell me why you're here."

"I... need help."

"With?"

She looked at him.

"Wow, you must have really messed up if you're coming to me for help."

"I didn't _mess_ up."

"Sure."

She glared.

"So what did you do?" He asked now amused.

"I'm tracking this villain and I think she might want something to do with one of your crazies."

"Which one?"

"I'll tell you if you help me." She shrugged and walked towards a different statue.

She looked up at it.

"Fine. I'll help."

She smiled a genuine smile. She adjusted his tie and began to walk away.

"Harper, why did you just ask me instead of coming to this thing?"

She turned around. "Well I packed this dress and I wanted to make an entrance."

Lian Harper walked down the stairs.  
  


* * *

**SOMEWHERE IM BLÜDHAVEN UNDERGROUNDS**   
**8:45 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  
  


The girl whistled. Her blonde hair was wavy and her brown tied up sandals stopped at her calf.

"Get. Out."

She stopped whistling. She smiled and clapped.

"Oh I found you yay!"

Scarecrow was a lot taller than she thought he would be. She was always short though so it shouldn't have surprised her.

"My name's Mina you're Jonathan right?" She held out her hand.

He glanced at it and walked past her.

"Get out I'm busy."

"From what I've been hearing you've been... in the sewers... no judgment I love... rats..." she kicked a rat away from her.

She smelled. She had put on extra perfume and it had all been washed away. Her blonde wavy hair was sweaty. But she could shower and wash up when he agreed to help her.

"Batman can't find me so I'll do what's necessary."

"He's not looking for you. That's why he hasn't found you."

Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow was doing everything in his power to not be found. This wasn't even the sewer he stayed in most nights. It's not like he had been causing any problems. He supposed the Bat just had too many things to worry about.

"Child I'm not in the mood."

"Child... I'm twenty!"

She was very freshly turned twenty but she was not gonna tell him that.

"And I'm old enough to be your father. So yes you're a child."

It was kinda hard to hear him speak behind his mask.

She puffed. She got out one of her arrows.

"Do you know who Eros is? He's the Roman equivalent of Cupid. 'Cause ya know the Romans stole all of Greek mythology. In Greek and Roman culture romantic affection was something they didn't truly understand."

She put on a white gas mask.

Scarecrow watched her. He had a knife in his back pocket. He slowly reached for it.

"Eros had arrows because it would hurt to fall in love... they feared love, that's why you would literally be struck by it."

He lunged at her and she fired an arrow. The sewer filled with a pink gas. He fell to the ground. His hands began to shake. He was sweating.

Some of the rats screamed and scurried away.

"You're lucky I need you or else I would leave you here... it's sad so many people die without fulfilling their desires."

He began to gasp under his mask.

He looked at her closely now. She was dressed like an angel in a way.

He wanted to ask her something but he couldn't talk.

Her arrows had hearts on the tip. Her fake white feathered wings managed to stay clean somehow.

"What... do..." he gasped and rolled on his sides.

"What do I want with you?" She nodded.

Why was his body so warm?

"Well, you seem pretty handy in making gas spread fast. My arrows aren't doing it anymore.  
I want to spread my love to everyone! And Gotham is such a sad city it needs more compassion and warmth!" She spun around in a circle.

"So if you agree to help me I'll give you the antidote okay?" The has finally gone away and she took off her mask.

She smiled a perfect smile. A smile that could only be achieved with braces.

"Fi...ne help."

She grabbed his legs and began to pull him.

"Okay yay!" She stopped and dropped his legs.

Jonathan groaned.

She put both hands on her hips and leaned down.

"Don't worry I'm not gonna let you die you're too important."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lian Harper stans make some NOOOOISE
> 
> I promise not every "villain" that they phase is gonna be an OC I just really liked this idea I came up with so...
> 
> Anyways hope you all enjoyed this!


	21. Issue #21

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**9:00 PM LOCAL TIME**

There wasn't a lot of stuff happening tonight. Nightstar had stopped a burglary and a purse snatching. Dick had told her his schedule, he thought it would ease her worries but really it just let her know what part of Blüdhaven to avoid.

She sat on a rooftop and drank some water.

"Boo!" Superboy yelled from behind her.

She leaned her head back. "I heard you flying here."

Superboy blushed and rubbed his neck. "Oh."

"I was gonna tell you that Robin wants to meet us in Gotham."

She got up and stretched.

"Why?"

"He said he needed help."

Those weren't his words at all. Robin just said he _could_ come to Gotham if he wanted to. And he didn't even mention bringing Nightstar along but Superboy thought it would be nice for her to be there.

"You got the crown." Superboy smiled as they began to fly towards Gotham.

"I did! Do you like it?"

She had told Maya Ducard about her mother's crown and what it looked like. Mar'i had a crown too obviously she was a princess but she only wore it at official meetings.

"It's really pretty."

"Thank you."

Superboy was impressed that Nightstar could keep up with him.

They reached Gotham in five minutes. Superboy stopped and flew down towards a building. Nightstar followed.

Robin looked up at them. He was talking with a girl that Nightstar didn't know. She smiled... another girl... her age... yay!

The girl had long black hair tied back. She had a yellow hood but it was down. The red uniform she was wearing looked like a dress and pants with a yellow belt. Her hands were covered by yellow gloves she was counting a bunch of arrows.

Her quiver was on her shoulder. Her bow shined and was tossed back and forth into her hands. She wore tied up red boots. The girl was muscular and had long legs she could definitely tell she was taller than Robin.

"That was fast." Robin tilted his head to the side.

"Hi, Superboy." The girl smiled.

Before Superboy could respond Nightstar flew over. She flew so fast Robin's hood came off his head.

Nightstar grabbed the girl's hand and shook it aggressively. The girls' eyes widened behind her domino mask.

"Hi, I'm Nightstar! Oh, it's nice to meet you. Do you do archery? That's fascinating I love _Robin Hood._ The one with the fox! I guess I don't love _Robin Hood_ since I've only seen that one. Have you seen it? It's so lovely to meet you!"

"Um hi I'm Speedy... yes I do archery. I have seen that movie. And it's nice to meet you too." She nodded.

"Good you two are introduced now we can move on." Robin nodded.

He was just relieved that they seemed to be getting along.

"What was it that you said you needed help with..."

"Speedy lost track of one of her villains and now the people of Gotham have to suffer."

"You're a dick that's not what happened." Speedy crossed her arms.

"What happened?" Nightstar asked trying to stop this pre-argument.

"Her name is Eros, and her real name is Mia Colombo and she created this... gas when you inhale it, it releases this pheromone and paralyzes you. You're unable to focus among other things.

A few months ago she was going around Star City and releasing it in the streets she ended up killing a few people because of how strong it was. In our last fight, she mentioned Gotham and how she had a plan to fix all the crime in the city... then I remembered that Scarecrow had a fear toxin and I think she might want to use and change it somehow to go with her poison."

"Wait if she's strong enough on her own why does she need Scarecrow?" Nightstar scratched her head.

"Scarecrow can make more of his toxin than she can, that means a wider range of people he can infect. With Eros, her gas can only spread so far."

"So she's gonna get Scarecrow to help her make more gas and then what just release it over the city?" Superboy swallowed.

"I think so."

 _A lot of thinking and not a lot of knowing._ Robin thought.

"Well, Scarecrow hasn't been active in over a year. He used to be at Arkham but they released him."

"Why?" Speedy asked.

"He's sane now."

"Sure."

"Where does Eros like to hideout do you know?" Nightstar asked Speedy.

"How many chemistry labs are in Gotham? She needs a place to manufacture the gas and that's where she'll do it."

"A lot of them moved out or shut down. The only one we have lest in on the West Side." Robin pointed.

"They're planning on building a nuclear energy plant as well but it's most likely gonna be in Blüdhaven."

"Joy." Nightstar sighed.

"I have my bike so you two don't need to like carry me or whatever." Speech pointed down towards a motorcycle.

"I'll carry Robin them." Nightstar shrugged.

"Absolutely not."

"Too late." Nightstar smiled and picked him up.

Speedy snorted and jumped off the ledge.

"Get off." Robin pushed.

"Okay. Superboy can carry you." Nightstar **threw** him to Superboy.

Superboy caught him.

"No!"

Superboy rolled his eyes and began to fly.

"You're carrying him next time," Superboy said as they flew.

Robin was grumbling in Superboy's arms.

"Fine-"  
  


* * *

**WEST SIDE OF GOTHAM, SPANGLER LABS**   
**9:05 PM LOCAL TIME**

She sat on a table and watched him work. They broke in through a window. Both wore gas masks and goggles. He sighed and took off the gas mask. His skinny body was crouched over the desk. Eros kept her gas mask on and was working on her arrows. She glanced at him. He was scratching his covered neck.

"You smell."

He sneered.

"Why do you use the arrows anyway. It's a stupid gimmick." He was finished creating everything she asked.

"Why do you dress like a scarecrow anyway. It's a stupid gimmick." She stuck out her tongue.

Jonathan Crane looked up at her.

"I was afraid of scarecrow when I was a kid. Among other things."

She stayed silent.

"Your turn."

"When I was a kid I really liked mythology and I went to school for it. Aphrodite was my favorite."

 **"You two seem close."** A voice said from above.

Both villains looked up.

Speedy had an arrow ready to fire.

"So obsessed with me..." Eros sighed.

Speedy fired an arrow. It released a net. Eros dodged it and stuck out her tongue.

She jumped down.

"Crane!" Robin yelled.

He looked to see Robin and Superboy. There was someone else he didn't know a young-looking girl with golden skin. He had heard whispers to her.

Why was Superboy here... this wasn't Metropolis

"Would you believe me if I said I was kidnapped?"

"I don't have time for this," Eros grunted. She fires an arrow at the sprinkler system.

Water sprayed from the ceiling. Gas also filled the room. All the superheroes fell to the ground.

Scarecrow shook his head like a shaggy dog.

"Okay, we can go." She clapped happily.

Superboy stood up awkwardly. His breathing was heavy he swallowed.

Eros deflated.

"Should have known it would take more to get him down." She punched him in the face.

He stumbled backward.

"Ow! God! His face is like a brick!" She waved her hand.

He let out a breath. He tried to tackle her but she flipped him onto his back.

"Can we go now?" Scarecrow asked like a toddler.

"Yes, we can... oh... who is this?" She asked pointing at Robin.

Scarecrow said nothing. Eros leaned down looked at Robin. His hand flinched as he tried to bawl it into a fist.

"He's cute," she purred.

"I know you're not from around here but we are **not** taking one of the bat kids with us."

She was seeing butterflies and he was seeing moths.

Eros blinked. They stared at each other for a moment. Scarecrow sighed.

"Damn it."

Scarecrow grabbed Robin's legs and dragged him off. Robin let out a breath. He touched Superboy's hand. Neither Eros nor Scarecrow noticed Robin putting something in his hand.

* * *

**ROOFTOP OF GOTHAM CITY**   
**9:36 PM CENTRAL TIME**

_"Jonny... Jonny... he's not waking up did you give him enough of that cure?"_

"Superboy wake up!" Speedy screamed in his face.

He shot up and let out a gasp. His eyes were bloodshot.

"Are you alright?" Nightstar asked.

"Where's Robin? Wait they took him! Damn!" He rubbed his head and coughed.

"This was in your hand, it's a tracker-" Superboy grabbed it and tried flying off.

"Woah! Woah! Superboy wait for a second!" Nightstar grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"We need a plan." Speedy crossed her arms.

"You need a few moments to recover as well. Please just sit for a few seconds."

Superboy sighed and sat down.

"He's at some warehouse... I think it belongs to Harley Quinn."

"She's in that asylum now I think..." Nightstar picked at her skin.

"Whatever I'm not letting Eros release a bunch of her toxin over the city okay? It's not happening."

"And it won't." Nightstar nodded.

"Alright, so what's our plan?"

They all stayed quiet.

"Oh, I have one!" Nightstar raised her hand and jumped.

"You don't have to raise your hand Nightstar."

"Oh okay so here's my idea."

They listened to every word she said. Nightstar was new at everything when it came to being a superhero but she knew she didn't want anything bad to happen to anyone.

She hoped that was enough.


	22. Issue #22

  
**HARLEY QUINN'S WAREHOUSE**   
**9:59 PM LOCAL TIME**

He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened it. His mask was still on thankfully. He looked around quickly. He saw a large red and black blimp.

"You're awake!" He heard a bubbly voice gasp.

_Should I knock myself out again?_

He didn't have time to contemplate the idea before Eros rushed towards him.

"You drugged me." He tried to headbutt her.

She slammed his head back.

That was going to bruise.

"My name is Eros," she leaned in "you can call me Mia though."

He didn't respond.

She put both hands on his face. "I like birds, are you named after the bird?"

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked.

"I don't know I just thought you seemed... handsome."

"I'm not gonna develop Stockholm syndrome if that's what you think."

She sighed and placed her head on his chest. She smelt sweet.

He glanced at his utility belt. She took it off... damn it.

He began to struggle against his restraints. He was tied to a pole, his hands were tripled knotted.

"When I meet people for the first time I always think about what my future will be like with them. I don't know why I do it I think my brain is just kinda hyper or something... do you do that too or am I crazy?"

_You're crazy._

Before he could offer a response, Scarecrow yelled.

"WE HAVE TO LEAVE NOW!"

She glared at him. He grumbled and went back inside the blimp.

"You don't have to do this-!"

She kissed him. His eyes widened. She tasted like watermelon lipgloss. She pulled away quickly. The kiss lasted maybe half a second.

_Does Kent not know how to read a tracker what is taking so damn long?_

"I'll come back to you."

"Don't."

She ran inside the blimp. The ceiling opened up. Robin looked up at the sky. Full moon tonight.

The blimp began to take off in the air. Wind from the blimp filled the room. Many of Harley's memorabilia was flying backward. Some of Robin's hair blew into his face.

This was all Batman's fault. He took Robin's hidden knives... the blimp rose in the air.

He began to thrash. He could feel his waist losing blood circulation, he didn't care he kept thrashing. The blimp was moving slowly forward.

The door burst open and he stopped moving. Superboy flew over. His eyes turned red. Robin closed his eyes and flinched.

Robin's restraints were burnt to ash.

"Faster than a speeding bullet... what a load of garbage."

"Not the time to be whiny."

Robin looked around. "Where's Speedy and Nightstar..."

"They're stopping the blimp. Speedy didn't want to risk shooting an arrow at it."

"First smart decision she's made all night." He grabbed his utility belt and wrapped it around his waist.

Superboy grabbed Robin's arm and flew into the air.

Harley Quinn's blimp was spinning around quickly in a circle. It was flipped upside down.

"What the hell?" Superboy tilted his head to the side.

"I'm gone for five minutes."  
  


**WHILE SUPERBOY SAVED ROBIN**

Nightstar carried Speedy up to the blimp. She had never seen a blimp in real life before.

She pushed the blimp upwards. Apparently, she pushed it _harder_ than she expected.

"Nightstar!"

"Whoops..."

The blimp went flying upwards at a rapid speed.

"I'm sorry I thought it would be hard like a ship!" She cried panicking.

"STOP THE BLIMP!"

Nightstar flew upwards and pushed it downwards.

"NO CATCH IT!"

Nightstar flew downwards.

"Maybe if I spin it?"

"WHAT-"

She spun the blimp-like a basketball.

"STOP IT!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!" Robin yelled at both girls.

Superboy was carrying Robin by the arm.

"Um, nothing?" Nightstar's smile was forced and it made her teeth look bigger.

The blimp was still spinning.

"Carry him real quick." Superboy _flung_ Robin at Nightstar.

Nightstar grunted. She carried the boy wonder in one arm and in the other she held the archer.

Superboy took hold of the blimp. He gripped it in his hands like a large balloon.

Superboy looked around the blimp to see an outline of a door. He opened it slowly. The blimp hadn't caught much air or speed yet but it was still risky to open it so quickly. He saw Scarecrow and Eros laying on the ground.

Nightstar was next to him now. They flew inside. Speedy and Robin jumped out of her arms.

"Well... this is a little anti-climatic I was hoping to punch her in the face." Speedy kicked at Eros's hand.

"You still can!" Nightstar touched her shoulder gently.

"It's not the same."

"Hey, guys," Superboy said.

"What?" Robin asked looking up.

He tied Scarecrow and Eros up.

"How do you land a blimp?"

"... That's a very good question Superboy..." Speedy walked slowly towards the controls.

"I know that's why I asked it." He was about to push a button but decided against it.

"I just found out what a blimp was tonight..."

"Well, I don't know how to fly it!" Superboy yelled panicking.

Eventually, it was going to run out of gas...

"Well, I don't either!" Speedy yelled.

"I know how to fly a blimp," Robin said.

(It should be noted that Robin did not know how to fly a blimp)

"You do?" Nightstar asked.

"Yes, I do." He walked towards the control.

Flying a blimp could not have been harder than flying a plane. He flew a plane when he was ten this shouldn't have been that hard. He sat in the pilot chair, he fastened his seatbelt. He twisted the wheel slightly to the side.

Nightstar fell to the side. Superboy and Speedy fell on top of her.

"Robin!" Superboy yelled.

"Shut up!"

He tiltsit _again_.

It turns out blimps and planes were completely different.

(Did you know that? Robin did not know that.)

"Um, why are we heading towards the ocean..." Nightstar asked nervously.

"I'm gonna land it in the water."

"Um, I can't swim..." Nightstar bit her lip.

"Just fly out of the water." Speedy crosses her arms.

"Um, Tamaraneans can't fly in water..."

Robin cursed in Arabic.

"Time to jump then." Robin unbuckled his seatbelt.

Superboy picked up Scarecrow and Eros.

Nightstar looked down at the ocean and backed up into the blimp.

She let out shallow breaths and shut her eyes.

"Nightstar are you okay?" Speedy asked.

She laughed... it was the laugh you would do to stop yourself from crying.

"Um. I'll just uh..."

"Nightstar just jump out of the blimp!" Robin pointed. "You don't even have to get in the ocean just fly!"

"I can't." She whispered.

"What?" He asked.

"I can't fly... not now."

"Oh, you have got to be-"

Speedy pushed Robin out of the blimp. He screamed and fell into the water.

 **"Harper!"** He yelled up angrily.

"Handle this." She told Superboy before jumping.

Superboy put the villains down and walked towards Nightstar.

"Do you want me to carry you?" He asked.

"I hate water... we don't have oceans on Tamaran and I hate it..." she kept her eyes shut.

"I'll carry you." He offered.

"Don't talk down to me." She covered her ears.

The blimp was getting closer to the ocean.

"Change of plans..." Superboy thought.

He grabbed the villains and looked down.

**"ROBIN!"**

**"WHAT?!"**

**"CATCH!"**

He threw both of them out the opened door.

"What are you doing?" Nightstar asked.

"Can I pick you up?" He asked.

She knew he wasn't making fun of her. He would never make fun of her in a situation like this. Never.

She nodded. He slowly took her into his arms. He flew out of the blimp. Her grip tightened around his neck to the point that it was hard for him to breathe.

"You can breathe in space right?"

She nodded.

He swallowed and pushed the blimp upwards.

"Where are we going, Jon?" She whispered...

That's how he knew she was upset... the way she said Jon instead of Jonny...

"Just trust me okay?"

She stared at him.

The blimp began to catch fire. He stopped pushing and flew away from it quickly. She dug her nails in his neck.

She shut her eyes.

_Am I crying?_

She opened her eyes. It was dark... really dark but there were tiny bright stars around them.

Superboy landed on something.

"Where are we?" She asked looking around.

"The moon..."

She let go of him and touched the moon's surface.

"Why did you take me to the moon?" She touched a small crater.

She crushed a rock in her hands.

"Well you were upset... and I thought looking at that would making you feel better." Superboy pointed behind her.

She turned around and dropped the moon rocks in her hands.

A small blue orb. Simple but that didn't make it any less serene and beautiful. She never got to really look at Earth when she came in her ship.

She held up her index finger and her thumb. She squinted them and shut one eye.

"It's small. Like a blue marble." She murmured.

"Yeah... Tamaran's probably not as small or blue."

"No, but I still think it's very nice... it's very... nice..."

"Yeah... it is." He glanced at her for a second and looked away.

"Thank you, Jonny."

"You're welcome Mar'i."

* * *

**GOTHAM CITY BAY**   
**11:49 LOCAL TIME**   
  


He had called the police. Speedy was explaining the situation.

Scarecrow shook his head and opened his eyes.

"Don't move your head you might have a concussion," Robin instructed.

"No... no... no!" He yelled.

"Crane control yourself."

"I'm not going back to that damn Asylum! I'd rather die! I will not be next to Riddler again! I was a doctor damn it!"

"So was he." Robin shrugged.

"His damn riddles and his damn word searches... kill me. Just kill me. Bats don't kill but I know you have just kill-" Crane was being dragged away by two officers.

Eros made a small noise. She stretched and opened her eyes. She tried to run a hand through her hair but the handcuffs stopped her.

"Wait... where's my blimp..."

"Harley Quinn's blimp? It blew up in the earth's atmosphere and from my understanding your gas is flammable so... no chance of it spreading."

"You came back for me." The look she was giving him made him take a step back.

"Not really. You were thrown out of a blimp and almost drowned that's all that truly happened with this... _relationship._ "

"Did you give me mouth-to-mouth?" She asked.

"No."

"You still can if you want."

An officer picked her up by her arm. Which was surprisingly more muscular than the officer thought it would be.

"Hey, Eros!" Speedy yelled walking towards.

Eros turned.

Speedy punched her in the face so hard she fell out of the officer's grasp.

"You know what that was for." She spits on the ground and walked towards Robin.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"Don't worry about it."

Nightstar and Superboy landed nearby.

"Oh, are you done with your temper tantrum?" Robin asked her.

She opened her mouth to respond.

"Thank you for your help. All three of you."

"It was mostly me," Robin grunted.

Superboy put a hand over his mouth.

"Of course anytime you need help we'd be happy to give it."

He flashed his boy scout smile and Speedy resisted the urge to roll her eyes at it.

"It was nice meeting you." She said to Nightstar.

Nightstar tucked a strand of her behind her ear. She blushed and shook her hand.

"You did a good job don't listen to Robin he's just being a grouch." Speedy winked.

Robin protests were muffled by Superboy's hand.

"You guys have a team name?"

"Um no... we're not really a team..." Superboy laughed.

"I want to be the leader!" Robin yelled finally getting free of his grasp.

"Oh no, you're not!" Superboy yelled back.

"Well I would love to join your _team_ but considering I'm already in one it would be hard."

Nightstar nodded.

Speedy waved at all three of them. She pulled something out of her pocket. She clicked it and her bike came screeching in front of her. She put on a red helmet and drove off.

Robin and Superboy were still bickering but more quietly.

"What team is she on?" Nightstar poked her two pointer fingers together.

They stopped arguing and looked at her.

"The Teen Titans." They both answered.

"Oh..." she thought for a moment.

"What's that?"

They began walking together.

"We need a team name if this is going to work." Robin began to think of names.

"Oh, we're a team then!" Nightstar clapped.

"Fine but it's a democracy... meaning you can't tell me and Nightstar what to do." Superboy crosses his arms.

"We'll see about that." Robin gave a devious smile.  
  
  


* * *

  
  


** EPILOGUE 1 **

**ARKHAM ASYLUM**   
**LATER THAT NIGHT**

They rolled him into his cell. They took his costume. Again.

"Oh Crane my fellow intellectual. Welcome back!" He heard Riddler's bubbly voice.

He didn't have to see him to know he was smiling. He hated Riddler's smile.

The male patients of Arkham were on the opposite side of the building from the females. The cells were dark at this time of night. There were bars on the door window. Some rooms didn't have windows to see the outside world. Not that there was much to see.

Riddler was across from him.

Could be worse... they made the dumb decision to put Dent across from Joker...

"Shut up."

"Want to help me with a crossword puzzle?" He asked in a cheery voice.

His voice could be annoying... it would be so high-pitched at times. Like a dog whistle.

"No." Crane laid on his bed.

"Now, now, I need a six-letter word. The clue is-"

"I will carve your brains out with a spoon."

"That's too big for the boxes provided," Riddler responds disappointed.

Riddler called him Crane. But Jonathan would never call him Edward or Ed.

"The clue is a 'pleasant distraction.'"

Jonathan Crane sat up.

"Oh come on Jonathan you know it." There was something different in his voice.

"Escape?"

"There it is! Good boy!"

"Riddler-"

"Now what's a five-letter word that means "Catch you on the flip side!"?"

"Later."

"You're so smart Jonathan..."

_ESCAPE_

_LATER_   
  
  


* * *

** EPILOGUE 2 **

_Dear Dick,_

_I'm sorry about the tone of my last letter. Or perhaps you didn't catch my aggravated tone because you read it._

_I can tell you that when you responded I was felt with joy I hadn't felt in such a long time. The fact that you even got my letter in the first place is a miracle considering I live in the middle of nowhere. But I like this piece of nowhere._

_I would love to visit you or have you visit me. You already know my address so there is no point in me even repeating it._

_Don't feel as if you have to Dick. I understand that we have not seen each other in a long time and the last thing I would want is to make you uncomfortable or anything of that sort. But I do miss you and everyone else..._

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_Yours Always, Raven_


	23. Issue #23

**LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL**   
**12:15 PM LOCAL TIME**

Mary Grayson was studying in the hallway. Her knees were to her chest as she read out loud to herself.

"I hate English." She said annoyed.

"Me too we should all speak in clicks." She looked up to see Charlie Link smiling.

He was sweaty and in workout clothes.

"You had gym?" She asked.

Charlie Link was a nice boy with dark black skin and a crooked nose. He wasn't the brightest but he never pretended to be. He always tried to help her with her homework even if she didn't need it.

"Nah we had football practice." He sat down next to her.

"In the middle of the day?"

"Yeah, some of the players have work after school usually so our practices are whenever. I don't mind cause I always get to flex third.

She nodded and put her book down. She leaned her head on her knees and looked at him.

"Hey did you join any clubs yet?" He asked. "I meant to ask you at lunch yesterday but Nell kept derailing the conversation."

"Oh yeah! I joined the sign language club!"

Mary liked sign language. It was fun, it was also a little challenging cause it was the one language she could learn by touch. It was different.

"Sign something for me."

 _"Hello. I am Mary. I am fifteen and I have a cat."_ She signed.

"I don't know what that means dude but good job."

"I could have said something mean and you wouldn't know."

"Nah I don't think you would do that."

The bell rang.

She got up and he grabbed her wrist.

"What?" She laughed.

His hand was sweaty.

"There's this party tonight... in Gotham... we're gonna take the subway- Nell, Billy Jean and Me... you should come."

 _Will Colin be there?_ Was the unspoken question.

"Colin probably won't come but it would still be cool if you came... if you want to... also you didn't come to the last party so you kinda owe me." He winked playfully.

"Fine... I'll go..." he let go of her hand.

"Awesome! Be at the train station by ten tonight!" He ran off. She hoped to the showers.

* * *

**BlÜDHAVEN**   
**3:00 PM LOCAL TIME**

Colin was walking beside her, chewing gum.

She was rambling about her dad then she said, "I finished my homework so I think I should be able to go to that party."

"What party?" He asked glancing at her for the first time since they started walking home.

"The party in Gotham... did Charlie not tell you?" She asked confused.

"No, he did I just didn't know you were going..."

"You don't really go to parties I thought..."

Colin glared. "Yeah, I go when I want to the one I went to last time you didn't even go to remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"So I guess I'll go to this one then." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh um okay..."

"There are creeps walking the night so it's probably best I go with you." He spits his gum in a passing trash can.

"My hero," Mary said blandly.

They stopped in front of her apartment building.

"Should I walk over to your apartment..." she asked tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No!" He yelled.

She jumped and looked at him.

He cleared his throat.

"Sorry uh no I'll um walk over to your apartment... I'll meet you in the lobby at 9:30 cool?"

"Um yeah cool." She nodded still confused by his outburst.

"Cool!" He ran across the street.

He didn't wait for her to get inside. She pouted and ran up the stairs and into the apartment building.

Her land-lady smiled at her. Bridget Clancy was Chinese and had her hair cut short, apparently, she was born in Hong Kong but left as a baby. Bridget told  
Mary, she was adopted by an Irish family. She had been around "Americans" so much she actually practically went away. It still came out from time to time.

"Hi, Mary."

"Hello!"

"You seem to be in a good mood today."

Mary nodded. She looked at a stack of letters and papers on Bridget's desk.

"What are those?" Mary asked pointing to them.

"Oh just some stuff I have to mail for my tenants some of them are so busy they ask me to do it for them. Not a big deal, most of them are magazine cancellations."

"Anything from my dad?" She inquired looking at them.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bridget tapped Mary's nose with her pencil.

"Yes, that's why I asked."

Bridget rolled her eyes.

"Don't you have homework?"

She shrugged and went up the stairs. She heard rustling inside. Dick had told her he would be home late. Maybe it was just Jin, her cat.

She shrugged and unlocked the door. She saw Jason Todd eating a sandwich on her couch. She stayed still.

"Hey, kiddo. You're out of mayonnaise." He held up his sandwich.

"Um, what are you doing here..."

She knew for a fact Dick would not allow him to stay here without him also being home.

"I came in through your window."

"I locked my window."

"You think I can't pick a lock?" He raised a brow at her.

Jin came up to her. He sat in front of her, he looked at Jason then back at her. It seemed he was confused by the man's presence as well.

She closed the door behind her.

"So how was your day?" Jason asked her almost smugly.

"Um fine, he was yours?" Mary grabbed a water bottle and began to drink from it.

"Killed a few guys today."

She choked on her water. She coughed and looked at him.

"Oh, that's nice... I'm going to party so I'm just gonna... get dressed..."

"Did your dad say you can go?" Jason asked.

She froze. Mary swallowed and looked at him.

Jason laughed, "Ha just kidding I don't care have fun."

He turned on the tv. She went into her room, Jin followed her. He tried to shut the door with his tail but she ended up closing it. He jumped on her bed and sat on his designated pillow.

"I need to find something to wear." She opened her closet.

She suddenly had a lot more clothes than she did before.

"Jason?!" She shouted.

 _"What?!"_ He shouted back.

"Did you get me clothes?" She grabbed a short black dress.

_"Yeah."_

She paused and then looked at the door. "Is this from the people you killed?!"

He was silent.

**"Jason!"**

_"I went to Goodwill calm down!"_

She wasn't sure if she believed him, but perhaps it was best not to think about it. She saw a cheetah print jacket. She touched it. It was so soft. She kept touching it for what felt like an hour. Jin meowed and she looked at him.

"Soft." She whispered.

Mary began to undress. Jin turned around towards the window.

"I've never been to a party before Jin."

He meowed and licked his paw.

"From that tv show, I watched someone always gets punched." She pulled the dress up over her chest and put her arms through the straps.

"Do you think I'll get to throw a drink at someone? Oh, I hope so that looks fun!" She began to brush her hair.

Jin purred and stretched.

She finished getting ready and laid on her bed. She touched the jacket.

 _I wish Damian and Jon could come with me..._ Then she realized how much she just wanted to be around the both of them... all the time.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**9:30 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jin licked her nose. She opened her eyes. She had drool on her cheek and wiped it off. She got up quickly and grabbed a pair of black tennis shoes. She combed her hair and looked in the mirror.

She touched her hologram. She stared at the rock for a few seconds before rushing out of her room. The TV was still on. Jason was snoring on the couch with crumbs on his chest. She pulled a blanket on top of him and kissed his forehead.

She turned off the tv and the lights and locked the door behind her.

Colin was standing in the lobby he wore a brown jacket that she hadn't seen on him before. His hair was pulled back and he had his hands in his pockets. He was walking back and forth.

"Are you okay?" Mary broke him out of his trance.

He looked at her.

"Yeah just pacing." He nodded and looked away.

"Oh okay." She nodded and walked towards him.

"You look nice." He muttered.

"What?" She asked even though she heard him.

"I said this building looks like it has mice."

She blinked.

"Um I don't think it does..." she frowned

He opened the door and she walked out. The walk to the train station was silent. Cars would occasionally pass. She looked up at the moon. It was a crescent moon tonight.

It followed the both of them as they walked.

"I've never been to a party before," Mary said butting her hands in her furry pockets.

"Really? Do you not like going out or something?"

She blinked.

Of course, they had parties in the castle. But they weren't really parties. She would stand there with a smile on her face and give a speech or dance with anyone who would ask. But she never left the castle it didn't feel like a party.

"I guess..."

They both walked down the stairs to the subway.

"Aye there you two are!" Charlie yelled.

Charlie wore a Wonder Woman t-shirt and jeans. Nell wore a dress that Mary had never seen, it was white with pink flowers on it. And Billy Jean... Billy Jean looked as she always did. Black fishnets and a long T-shirt of a band that she didn't know of and boots... big black boots that weighed more than her.

"I like your shirt." Mary said pointing to the 'WW' on Charlie's shirt.

"Thanks!"

The subway came to a stop and a few people came off.

"Your chariot awaits my ladies." Charlie gestured first the three girls to get in.

Billy Jean walked in first. She sat down at a random place. Her legs were open and she rolled her head. Mary sat next to her. Nell sat across from her.

Charlie and Colin sat with Nell.

Billy Jean pulled out her phone and her headphones.

"Hey Mary, wanna listen with me?"

"Sure!" Mary smiled and put in one of the headphones.

She rested her head on Bill Jean's shoulder. Billy Jean tensed for a moment then relaxed.

"You might not like my music but you can change the song to something else..."

Mary nodded. "Anything you pick would be fine Billy."

She shut her eyes.

Suddenly there was a loud screaming in her ear.

Mary jumped and opened her eyes.

"It's so loud."

"It's on a low volume."

"How are you not deaf?" Mary could feel a headache coming on.

Billy rolled her eyes.

"What is this?"

"Saetia."

"Why is he screaming."

"It's screamo."

"Oh..."

Mary looked at her shirt-dress. There was a skeleton holding the British flag.

"What's that on your shirt?" Mary asked.

"Iron Maiden. They're like old though. The eighties." Billy Jean played a different song.

This song was still loud but not as loud as the other. She tapped her foot and shut her eyes.

"The oldest song I have on here is The Beatles and it's _Eleanor Rigby_..."

Mary hummed and kept her eyes shut. Billy Jean kept telling her about bands and music. Billy Jean just seemed happy that someone was listening (or rather half listening).  
  


* * *

**THE WEST SIDE OF GOTHAM CITY**   
**9:54 PM LOCAL TIME**

Nell told Mary that there were two sides to Gotham. The side where the rich people lived was the east side. Then there was the part where poor people lived which was the west side.

_"Half of Gotham is made of gold and the other half is made of garbage."_

To which Colin said; _"unlike Blüdhaven which is just all garbage."_

Charlie knocked on a door.

A man not much older than Colin opened it. His hair was dyed green and he had freckles and a septum ring. He wore a black tank top and ripped jeans. He was scrawny but he had wide shoulders.

There was loud music in the background and Mary saw a bunch of people move in the background.

"Charlie you made it!" He yelled clapping his shoulder.

"Hey, Link." Charlie smiled.

They all slowly made their way inside.

"Oh, you know Billy Jean and Nell. This is Colin and Mary." Charlie put a hand on each of their heads.

Link saluted.

"Welcome to my crib, make yourself at home."

They all slowly scattered. Mary found herself towards where the food was.

"Brownies." She whispered and went to grab it.

"Don't eat those." Nell shook her head.

"Why?"

"Just don't."

She grabbed a celery stick and bit into it instead. She sat on one of the couches.

She watched the people move around. Although there was music playing no one was dancing. She watched a girl whisper into a boy's ear and giggled.

Colin went outside on the balcony she saw him pull out a lighter.

"So Mary where are you from Blüdhaven?" Link asked placing the plate of brownies on the table.

It took Mary a moment to realize how smoky the room was as a whole.

"No... are you from Gotham?" She asked.

"Oh no, I'm from Blüdhaven I to Lincoln, I'm only here for work." He shrugged.

Towards the end of his sentence, he began to speak very slow.

"Where do you work?" She asked.

He stared off before shaking his head.

"What?" He rubbed his hands together.

"Are you alright?"

His reflexes were slower. His eyes were lazy.

She touched his arm.

"Brownie?" Someone asked holding the plate of brownies she saw over.

She looked around for Nell. She couldn't find her. Mary took the whole plate of brownies.

"Wow, you must have a tolerance."

"I love chocolate." She shrugged and took a bite of one.

She saw Charlie get kissed by a random girl. She shoved another brownie in her mouth.

People started to go around the couch and talk about random things that Mary didn't care about.

Mary grabbed Link's arm.

"You good?" Link asked laughing.

People were suddenly staring at her.

"Woah." She whispered.

"Mary I told you not to eat those!" Nell practically shrieked.

Mary stared at her hands.

"My hands are so small compared to the rest of me." Mary sighed and took off her jacket.

Colin came back in and stuffed something in his pocket. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Mary, did you eat the whole plate?"

"Yeah..."

"What'd I miss?" Colin asked sitting on the couch and rolled his neck.

"Mary's overdosing." Nell panicked.

"I feel fine." Mary got up.

She felt a little lightheaded but other than that.

And like that everyone ignored her again. Nell pestered her to drink water.

She did and walked around Link's apartment for a while.

An hour passed and Mary felt strange.

"Hey I think your overdosing," Robin said standing in the corner.

When did he get here?

"What's that?" Mary asked.

Nell had said the word earlier but she didn't know what it meant.

"It means you took too much of something." Superboy was dancing around in a circle.

"Oh. Is that bad?" Mary asked.

"God, you're stupid." Robin sneered.

Mary blinked.

Was this real? Did Robin think she was stupid?

"Yeah and annoying. Can't believe you can't swim"  
Superboy was suddenly holding an animal from Tamaran she couldn't remember the name of.

Her heart was beating fast.

"Probably why I haven't told you my real identity yet. You don't deserve to know it." She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head.

"Hey, hey, hey Mary are you okay?" Colin was shaking her.

She was laying on the ground.

_X'hal what time is it? How did I get down here?_

"I don't... I don't... Colin, I don't feel well I don't..." her cheeks were wet.

Was she sweating or crying?

"Come on let me take you outside."

"No!" Mary yelled.

She pushed him away and fell back on the ground.

"I think she's having a bad trip." Someone said.

She sat up and realized people were crowding around her.

"Mary open your mouth," Colin commanded.

"Dude... you can't do that with her now..."

Colin ignored. Mary opened her mouth.

Colin shoved his fingers into her mouth. Her eyes widened and she vomited on the floor.

"Dude come on! Not my floor!" Link cried out.

Mary spit.

"I'm taking you home." Colin sighed and helped her up.

She stumbled but caught herself.

"I don't wanna go home." She frowned.

"I don't care." Colin gestured for Nell and Billy Jean to follow.

"I'll get Charlie." Nell ran off.

"I'm sorry about your floor." Mary put on her jacket.

"It's fine dude..." Link signed patting her head.

"Your house is lovely." She touched Link's face.

"Okay time to go..." Billy Jean pushed her.

"Goodbye, I love you."

"Mary please stop talking." Billy Jean shook her head.

"I still don't wanna go home." She sighed.

"Well it's two am so I think it's time."

When did the time pass so fast?

* * *

**GOTHAM CITY**   
**2:56 AM LOCAL TIME**

Mary kicked a can. She was tired and she had no idea what part of Gotham she was even in. The teenagers were just wandering around.

She looked at a bunch of posters and stopped to stare at one.

"Hey who's that?" Mary pointed.

The group stopped and looked.

"That's Bruce Wayne."

On the poster was an older man with blue eyes and a large frame. For such an old man he seemed to be in very good shape.

"He's like a billionaire," Charlie said.

"Bruce Wayne isn't a billionaire he's a millionaire." Colin corrected glaring at the poster.

"Whatever either way that man has more money than you'll ever make." Billy Jean shrugged.

Her black lipstick was smudged.

"Nell has a crush on his son," Charlie whispered.

"Look me in the eye and tell me Damian Wayne isn't the most beautiful boy you have ever seen." Nell held a newspaper that was on the ground up to Mary's voice.

"That's Damian and that's Helena." Nell pointed out.

Mary stared at the newspaper.

"Damian Wayne is beautiful," Mary said looking at him.

In the picture, he was wearing sunglasses and wasn't even looking at the camera. Damian and Helena were sitting on a park bench she was eating ice cream. It was obvious that the siblings had different mothers. Helena seemed to be a lighter skin tone than he did.

"Another one bites the dust!" Billy Jean grabbed the newspaper.

Colin grabbed a can and threw it at a window. The glass shattered.

"Dude what the fuck?!" Charlie yelled slapping him in the back of the head.

"Why did you do that?!" Nell asked.

"It's a Wayne Building it's not like he can't afford to-" he had a goofy smile on his face.

"Hey, carrot top! Did you throw that can?" the cop yelled from down the street.

"Oh shit." Colin's smile faded.

"Run!" Billy Jean yelled.

They all ran. Mary probably should not have been running in her condition...

Mary looked down at Billy Jean's boots. It was amazing she could move this fast in them.

"Scatter!" Charlie yelled waving.

"Stop!" The poor police officer yelled.

The teenagers ran in random directions.

Mary took a sharp left. She saw a dumpster. She stopped and hid next to it.

The cop ran past where she was hiding.

"Don't have to deal with this in Star City... fucking hate this job." He let out a bunch of ragged breaths and stomped back in the opposite direction of the street.

"What are you doing here?"

She looked up to see Robin hanging upside down.

She stared at him for a second.

"I was at a party." She answered.

It began to lightly drizzle.

"A party here?" He flipped himself onto the ground and looked at her.

"I must have lost my invite."

She stared at him.

"What?" He asked.

"Do you like me?" She asked earnestly.

"In... what way?" He took a step away from her.

"Are we friends?"

"Um, we're teammates."

She didn't want to be just teammates.

"You think I'm stupid."

He let out what she could only describe as a confused scoff.

"I never called you stupid."

In her hyper-realistic drug fantasy, he did.

They were silent as the rain continued.

"I don't think you are stupid," Robin said.

She didn't respond. Mary hugged him and he stumbled backward against the wall.

"I want to be your friend... and I want you to trust me."

"Um..."

If she started to cry he was going to drown himself.

"Okay... you're my friend..." he awkwardly patted her back.

"It's not the same... your forcing yourself to say it."

"You wouldn't want to be my friend Mary."

"Why?"

He didn't say anything.

"Mary?! You still here?" Charlie yelled.

She pulled away quickly.

"Yeah, I'm just-"

Robin was gone.

"Was that real or did I imagine it?" She whispered rubbing her forehead.

"Hey come on it's really late." Charlie covered her head with his jacket.

She looked at him.

"I'm tired." She laid her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"Well... tomorrow... today! Is a new day."

"Yeah... new day."


	24. Issue #24

**PAUL'S DINER, BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:52 PM LOCAL TIME**

Superboy drank from his milkshake as Robin rambled about what their team name should be. Nightstar sat next to Robin drinking from her milkshake and looking at him.

"All these names are bad..." Superboy slurped.

"Oh I'm sorry did **you** come up with anything Superboy?" Robin put down his list.

He clamped his hands together and Superboy knew behind his mask he was raising an eyebrow.

"Three Musketeers!" Nightstar clapped.

"We would get sued," Robin informed.

"Can they do that?"

"Actually I think the Three Musketeers are public domain." Superboy grabbed a sugar packet.

He opened it and put the sugar on the table. He began to draw a picture with the sugar.

"We are **not** going to be called the Three Musketeers!" Robin yelled throwing a packet at him.

Nightstar pouted.

The bell rang, they turned to see who entered the restaurant.

An orange cat came waltzing in. They watched as it came up to the table. It was definitely not a stray, it wore a black collar with a bright red ruby in the front. The cat sat in front of their table.

"Hello there," Robin whispered petting under the cat's chin.

It meowed and shut its eyes.

"Pretty kitty." Nightstar got down on her knees and kissed the cat's cheek.

 _Why is it always cats... why can't it be a dog..._ he missed Krypto desperately right now.

The bell rang out again and an elderly woman came into the store.

"Oh dear he ran off again..." she cried.

Superboy picked up the cat.

"You should get a leash ma'am."

The woman took the cat back and patted Superboys cheek.

The cat looked at all of them. It meowed. A bright light flashed into his eyes. So bright.

He saw stars. They were beautiful.  
  


* * *

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**   
**7:10 PM LOCAL TIME**

The alarm clock was blaring. Blue eyes opened, black hair was messy on a soft cotton pillow. Feet touched the ground and eyes met the mirror.

Eyes stared back... those weren't her eyes.

A scream with a voice that was not her own.

An elderly woman came into the room... a room that was not hers.

"Jon are you okay?!" The elderly woman yelled.

Jon... Jon...

"Ahhhhh...." was all that came out.

"What's wrong Jon?"

Jon. Jon. Jon.

"Um... nightmare?" He (she) said.

The old woman rolled her eyes. "Get dressed, the bus will be here soon."

"Okay..."

The woman closed the door.

Mar'i Grayson looked in the mirror and Jonathan Kent stared back.  
  
  


MEANWHILE

Magic. Damian Wayne hated magic. He stared in the mirror with bug eyes. Her soft features looked back. Bright green with no pupils. It could have been worse... Mar'i could have slept naked.

Mar'is cat sniffed the air, Jin looked at him.

He let out a strange screech.

"Stop it!" Mar'is voice sounded so strange to his ears.

Jin ran into the closet.

"Get dressed!" Dick's voice rang out.

"Fuck." He (she) said.

Mar'i. Why was he Mar'i? Where was his body?!

**Who was in his body?**   
  
  


MEANWHILE

Was it ethical to use the bathroom if you are not in your own body? On one hand, he had to pee. On the other hand, it wasn't _his_ bladder.

He never gave it much thought until this very moment. He woke up and rubbed his eyes. He sat up  
and looked at his hands. Either he sunbathed in his sleep _or_ Jon was in a different body.

He looked in the mirror. Damian's dull eyes glared back at him.

Was Jon glaring? Did Damian's face just naturally give off a glare?

"Master Damian you'll be late." Alfred knocked on Damian's door.

"Oh god," Jon whispered.

Could he say that when he was in Damian's body?

Whoever was in his body better do good on his history exam.  
  


* * *

THE HORRIFYING ORDEAL OF GETTING DRESSED WHILE YOU ARE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S BODY.

**Mar'i as Jon:** she kept her eyes closed as she got dressed. She pulled up a pair of underwear. Picked a random shirt and a random pair of pants. When she was fully dressed she opened her eyes. Her shirt was on backward but other than yeah this was fine... this was how guys dressed... she made a note to get Jon something other than tee shirts. She went down the stairs after grabbing a book bag.

"Jon?" The elderly woman called.

She turned.

"You forgot your glasses." She held out a pair of glasses.

"I see fine." Jon's voice squeaked.

She was silent. She immediately knew she messed up.

"I hate when you make that joke." The woman rolled her eyes and put the glasses on him.

She looked at Jon through the mirror. Glasses... it must have been so no one knew he was Superboy...

Glasses... how stupid. At least she had a whole other look.  
  


**Damian as Mary:** helifted up the tank top Mar'i slept in. He lifted up until he got just beneath her chest. He pulled it down quickly embarrassed. He went into Mar'is closet and was bombarded with color. Jin hissed and glared. He backed away.

What covered as much skin as possible? There was an oversized rainbow sweater. He saw baggy jeans and grabbed those. There were pink converse on the ground and he grabbed those. Did she know colors don't need to be on everything? Even her jeans had little flowers on them. He was about to leave her room but he grabbed her amulet when he put it on and touched the center he looked at Mary's hair. A mess of curls shadowed his vision.

"Damn it." 

He grabbed a brush and tried brushing her hair. Damian fell over and let out a yelp when a knot stopped the brushes movement. Being a girl is hard.

**Jon as Damian:** when did he get these scars?

Damian's body was riddled with them, most of the scars were small. There was one all along his spine that seemed to be the biggest one. He also had burns and discolored skin along his chest.

Gotham Academy's uniform was clean and pressed. He felt like a different person when putting it on.

 _I am a different person_.

He looked at himself in the mirror.

How did Damian do his hair?

There were little things about Damian's appearance. Damian has a mischievous yet bored twinkle in his eyes all the time. His scowl and the look of his hair both seemed effortless but Jon had an idea that he spent a lot of time perfecting both.

_Am I a bad best friend for not know how Damian does his hair?_

But that leads to the question: did Damian know how Jon did _his_ hair.

_Or maybe just maybe... you're overthinking this and you have bigger things to worry about._

Like how he was supposed to convince the _Batman_ that he was his _son_.

Jon went down the stairs.

_Act like Damian._

"Morning!" He said chipper.

Everyone looked at him.

_God damn it! How did you already mess this up?_

"Morning Dami!" Helena smiled eating eggs.

He had met Helena only once... she was very nervous around him and couldn't look him in the eyes. Selina made a joke that she had a crush... Damian punched him in the arm later despite him doing nothing.

"Master Damian you left your keys on the countertop last night." Alfred handed him a pair of keys.

Right... Damian drives...

His eyes widened slightly.

_Oh god, I have to drive Damian's car!_

"Damian are you alright?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah... just sick..." he swallowed.

"Nice try you're still going to school Damian."

Bruce went back to reading his newspaper.

"Master Damian you have to leave now or you'll be late!" Alfred gestured for him to leave.

He can't drive Damian's car... he only got his permit a month ago!

"Could you drive me?"

"Why?"

Everyone was staring at him now.

"It's a safety risk to drive while sick." He said as if it was obvious.

Alfred sighed before Selina said;

"Damian don't be a drama queen you don't have the plague, get going."

Jon swallowed and left towards the garage.

This leads to an interesting question. If Jon got into a car crash and Damian's body dies. What happens to Jon?  
  


* * *

**GOTHAM ACADEMY**   
**7:50 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"Watch it, Wayne!" Someone yelled at him.

Jon kept his head down. He had almost crashed several times on the way to Gotham Academy. A locker opened in front of him. Damian's face collided with it. He fell against the lockers.

"Oh my god, are you okay?!" A girl touched his face.

When his eye adjusted he looked at the girl.

Mia? This seemed to be like how Damian described Mia Mizoguchi... Maps...

"Dude, you look out of it are you good?" A boy helped Jon to his feet.

"You don't understand the morning I have had." He rubbed his face.

"Colton give him your coffee." Mia slapped his arm.

"Hell no, this was like twenty bucks." Colton slurped his ice coffee.

"Twenty bucks for coffee is it made of gold?"

Colton shrugged.

"Are you sure your okay? You look white and your sweating." Mia touched his forehead.

"I have to... use the bathroom..." he ran away.

When he got into the bathroom it was empty. He splashed water on his face. He suddenly had a migraine.

_"ROBIN LOOK AT ME! DAMIAN... DAMIAN!"_

He heard Bruce's voice. He looked around but didn't see him. Jon had a sharp pain in his chest and he began to cough.

_"DAMIAN OPEN YOUR EYES."_

Someone came into the bathroom.

"Get out!" Jon yelled.

The boy immediately turned around.

"What's happening?" Jon whispered looking at his reflection.

* * *

**LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL**   
**7:53 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


He couldn't breathe. He felt someone grip Mary's cheeks. There was a smell he had never smelt before and it made him want to gag.

_"Shhh don't talk... this will be easier if you don't talk."_

This didn't make any sense... where did that voice come from? The smell... where was the smell coming from?

"Hey, you okay?" A girl asked.

"Um... yeah..." He rubbed Mary's eyes.

"Your face is sweaty..." Nell touched Mary's forehead.

"Do you smell that?" He asked.

Nell sniffed then coughed.

"I think that Tyler's cologne." She began to fan her notebook away from her.

Mary's stomach churned. He didn't even eat anything hut he felt something come up his throat. He ran out of the classroom and into the bathroom. He pushed open a random stall and vomited. His hands felt warm and a flash of orange cane from her hands.

Mary's throat closed causing him to gag harder. He coughed several times.

"Mary? Are you okay?" A male voice said.

Damian glanced to see raggedy red shoes.

Colin Wilkes knocked on the stall again.

"Go away."

"You threw up... are you good?"

"Screw off!"

He felt a migraine coming on.

Colin walked away. Damian let out a breath.

"So like are you pregnant?"

Damian looked up to see Colin leaning in from the other stall. He screamed and cursed in Arabic.

"So like are you?"

"I'm not pregnant!" Damian flushed the toilet and sat against the bathroom stall.

He took out one of Mary's hair clips. He put so many of them in her hair, this one was a blue butterfly.

"Not pregnant huh... guess Damian Wayne will be so sad." Colin sighed rolling his eyes.

"What?"

"You said a few nights ago at that... stupid party when we were walking home... what's the word you used... beautiful?"

A lot to unpack there.

"Shut up." That was all he said.

"You look really sick though, did something happen?"

_"MAR'I LOOK AT ME CAN YOU MOVE? MAR'I IT'S OKAY."_

Damian snapped his head around.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Colin climbed over the stall and jumped in front of him.

He looked at Mary's hands. He suddenly couldn't move them. He looked at the lines along with her hands. He knew those lines meant something but he couldn't remember what they meant.

"You can stand right now?"

Could he stand?

"I need to figure this out..." he whispered.

"Okay,"

Colin sank to the floor. He put his foot on the bathroom stall next to Mary's arm.

Before Damian could snap something flashed across his eyes. He couldn't register what it was but a strong pain shot through his head.

He clutched Mary's head.

"You should probably get back to class."

Colin tilted his head. A smile suddenly spread on his face.

"Nah I'd rather just mess with you."  
  


* * *

**LEX LUTHOR HIGH SCHOOL**   
**7:56 AM LOCAL TIME**

She covered Jon's ears. She kept hearing a beeping noise. She wasn't sure it was because he could hear from miles and miles away but it felt like it was right next to her ear.

**BEEP**

She clenched her pen so hard it broke in half. Ink splattered on her hand.

**BEEP**

"Mr. Kent why is there ink all over your paper?" Jon's teacher asked.

"I um-"

**BEEP**

"Do you hear that?" She asked the teacher.

The teacher began to talk but she kept hearing heavy beating. She wasn't sure if it was someone else's heartbeat or the teachers...

She wanted to shut his eyes. But forced them open.

A note was handed to him.

"Go to the office, Mr. Kent."

People giggled behind her. She took the note and put the papers back into Jon's bag. The teacher opened the door for her.

She was about to ask where the office was but the door slammed.

People in Kansas are a lot meaner than she thought.

"I need to wash my hands."

_His hands._

**BEEP**

And then a heartbeat.

She wanted to bash Jon's head in with a mallet. Although it would probably break.

She scrubbed his hands.

**BEEP**

The heartbeat was whispering now.

She scrubbed his hands harder.

**BEEP**

Another small heartbeat.

_"BE GOOD JONNY. PLEASE BE GOOD."_

**BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP**

She fell to the ground clutching his chest. It was twisting. She had only felt pain like this once.

She reached up to grab the sink. The sink fell to the ground and water sprayed all throughout the bathroom.

"Fuck." She cursed upset.

She grabbed Jon's book bag and pushed open a window on the far wall. For a second she flew. She climbed out the window with Jon's book bag.

She fell to the ground. She was crying-or rather Jon was crying. It was the type of cry that shook your body and there was no way to study your breathing.

"What the fuck!"

It felt wrong cursing like this in Jon's body. Although she was sure he cursed before.

The tears wouldn't stop. She began running suddenly the school was nowhere in sight. Actually, Mar'i wasn't quite sure where she was. Did Jon really move that fast?

Something was vibrating in Jon's back pocket. She pulled out a phone and looked at it.

**INCOMING CALL FROM DAMIAN**

She swallowed.

"Hello?" Jon's voice cracked.

_"... it's weird hearing my voice when I'm not the one talking."_

She was quiet.

"Jonny?"

_"Yeah..."_

They were both silent.

"I got you detention I think."

_"I almost got Damian hit by a car."_

There was another incoming call. She pressed accept.

"Um hello?"

 _"We need to fix this. Right. Now."_ She heard her voice from the other line.

Jon was right. It was weird hearing your voice when your not the one talking.

"Damian?"

_"Obviously."_

"We need to meet up... figure this out."

In costume? God would she have to change?

"There's this abandoned building in Blüdhaven I think it used to belong to this mobster but he's in jail... it's on the Westside."

_"Okay."_

_"Fine."_

"Okay... see you then..."

All of them hung up.

Now she had to think... how she was going to get there? Which direction did she go in... this was going to be a lot of running.  
  


MEANWHILE   
  


The cat flicked his tail back and forth watching his master.

The teenager finished drawing the circle.

Various symbols of a language few could read.

"There. All done!" He clapped.

The circle glowed red.

The cat meowed.

"I already took care of those three... and Batman and co are gonna be too busy as is everyone else."

The cat stuck his head to the side. The cat was about to meow again but he glared.

He began to cast his spell.

**"EROM ECNO HTRAE EHT KLAW MEHT TEL ,EDIS YM YB ELUR DNA DLROW WEN EHT OT MEHT GNIRB OT TNAW I ,SLLEH EHT DNA SNEVAEH EHT FO SERUTAERC EHT EM EVIG"**

He repeated the saying over and over again. The wind swirled around him. The cat scurried and hid behind a trash can.

**"EROM ECNO HTRAE EHT KLAW MEHT TEL ,EDIS YM YB ELUR DNA DLROW WEN EHT OT MEHT GNIRB OT TNAW I ,SLLEH EHT DNA SNEVAEH EHT FO SERUTAERC EHT EM EVIG"**

The sky darkened and he began to levitate off the ground.

The trash fell over. The cat went inside to look for something to eat.

He felt a press against his chest and smiled with his eyes still shut.

"Alright good... it's begun."  
  
  


THE SPELL THAT WAS SPOKEN:

**"GIVE ME THE CREATURES OF THE HEAVENS AND THE HELLS, I WANT TO BRING THEM TO THE NEW WORLD AND RULE BY MY SIDE, LET THEM WALK THE EARTH ONCE MORE."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I adore this chapter ... im always a slut for body switching


	25. Issue #25

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**10:12 AM LOCAL TIME**

Damian kicked a can. He had taken off Mar'is amulet. Her Nightstar costume made him uncomfortable. He was constantly making sure her dress wasn't riding up.

A flash of blue ran by him. Damian blinked. The blue crashed into a bunch of cardboard boxes.

"Hey! I ran here!" Mar'i shouted in Jon's happy voice.

"Why?"

"Cause I couldn't figure out how to fly."

"Right..."

So that meant Jon was in-

"Sorry, I'm late I took the bus."

"You took the bus dressed like that?" Damian asked gesturing to Jon who was in Robin attire.

"No, I uh... got dressed in an alleyway."

Mar'i whistled.

"Oh also!" Jon pulled something from Robin's utility belt.

Name tags and a black sharpie.

"Um..."

"Just so we don't get confused!"

Damian rolled Mar'is eyes.

Jon handed out the name tags.

**HELLO MY NAME IS:** _Mar'i_ _♥_

**HELLO MY NAME IS:** _Damian._

**HELLO MY NAME IS:** _JON!_

"Okay, so I think I know who did this to us," Damian said pacing back and forth.

Jon and Mar'i sat on the ground watching. It was humorous to see Mar'i walk like Damian.

"Really? Would you like to share with the class?" Jon asked.

"Klarion the Witch Boy-"

"Teen? He's literally like a year older than you. He's Klarion the Witch Young Adult." Jon threw his hands in the air.

"Whatever-"

"Klarion the Young Citizen! He can literally vote!"

"WOULD YOU LET ME FINISH!" Damian yelled with a stomp.

If Damian was talking in his normal voice it would have been intimidating but coming out of Mar'is mouth it sounded like a whine.

"The cat belongs to him. It's what helps him stay in this realm... Dr. Fate wrote that in his analysis of him in a Justice League file."

"Dr. Fate... is who?"

"He's probably the most powerful magic wielder. Definitely more powerful than Constantine." Damian answered

"He basically helps keep magic in line he's like a big deal." Jon nudged her.

"Magic... I like magic..." Mar'i whispered.

"We need to find him... but we also need to actually practice when we're _like this_. Mar'i teach me how to shoot those... beams out of my hands."

He gestured for her to stand.

"I don't really know how I do it..." she stood and dragged Damian towards a section to the warehouse.

"Are you calm?"

"Yeah."

"No, you're not your tense."

"He was born tense!" Jon shouted.

"Don't talk!" Mar'i scolded.

She put Jon's hands on her own shoulders. Damian jumped and looked at her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get you to relax..."

Damian was silent before looking at her. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"I don't know I've never smelled it before... but I can't relax if I keep smelling it..."

Mar'i sighed and rubbed Jon's face.

"Okay... let's just focus on flying. Um, I want you to think of a memory that makes you feel free... it makes you feel happy not too happy though..."

"Very clear thank you."

"Just do it!"

Damian sighed

He closed his eyes. That smell was invading his nostrils again. He ignored it to the best of his ability.

A memory that made him happy?

_What makes Damian Wayne happy?_

He thought of an early memory he had with his mother. It was a fuzzy memory he remembered hiding under her bed. He remembered his mother sneaking on top of the bed and leaned over the side. She smiled.

"You did it!" Mar'i clapped and jumped.

"Hey, good job dude." Jon gave him a thumbs up.

Damian opened his eyes to see he was floating. He pressed his hand against the ceiling.

"Woah..." he whispered.

"Wait!" He pulled Mar'is costume down.

He began to float in a circle.

"What?"

"How do I get down?" Damian yelled.

"Oh, you just-!"

Damian fell on top of a bunch of wooden boxes. He let out a yelp:

Jon and Mar'i ran over.

"Are you okay?" Jon asked.

Damian coughed.

"Fine..."

The only thing that was bruised was his ego.

"Hey, Damian..."

"What Jon?"

Jon pulled out a sword and smiled big.

"Can you teach me how to use this finally?"

Damian let his head fall back.

Damian used a stray piece of wood to spare with Jon.

"Why are you doing that?"

Jon tilted his head to the side. "What?"

"Your movements are sloppy... you have to move **with** the sword not decide what it does."

"Damian... I've seen _Star Wars_ like seven times I think I get it."

Damian went to attack him again.

Mar'i watched Damian float. She sat crisscrossed on the ground. She was hearing the beeping sound again.

**"KEEP YOUR BODY CENTER!"**

**"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"**

Jon fell back on the ground and Damian held the wooden sword to his neck.

The beeping continued and Mar'i rubbed Jon's forehead.

"Okay fine I'm throwing a batarang," Jon said getting one out of his pocket.

"Wait don't-"

Jon threw it. He didn't seem to be aiming it in a particular direction so it flew everywhere. Damian ducked. The batarang hit a wall and bounced off.

"How hard did you throw it?!"

"I don't know, does it matter?!"

It hit Mar'i in the face.

"Oh crap!" Jon cried.

Mar'i blinked.

The batarang fell to the ground broken.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

"What?" Mar'i asked.

Both Damian and Jon looked at her.

"Oh, I didn't feel it." Mar'i stated.

A crack of thunder went across the sky. They all jumped.

"It's not supposed to rain until later..." Mar'i picked up the broken batarang.

Jon looked out the window.

"Um... what is that?"

Damian and Mar'i leaned over his shoulder.

_It wasn't hard considering he lost a foot of height practically._

A creature none of them had ever seen before. It was a huge creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. It was standing on its back legs screeching to the sky. Its scream was the thunder.

Other creatures fell from the sky or crawled out from the ground. A white horse with wings flew past the warehouse.

"Um... so this isn't great..." Jon said stating the obvious.

"If this is happening in Blüdhaven then Gotham has to be affected right?" Mar'i saw a very short man in green running with a pot of gold.

 **"Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine!"** The green man screeched.

"This is Klarion's doing... I don't know if this is his end goal or not but this is a disaster in the making let's go." Damian watched two Centaur's destroy a car.

"What does he gain out of this... this is just chaos..." Jon asked as the trio walked out of the warehouse.

"Chaos is what he gets out of it," Damian answered as he watched Blüdhaven was riddled with creatures he had only read about.

* * *

**WAYNE MANOR, GOTHAM**

Helena stopped her coloring and looked out the window. It was gloomy again. Alfred had left to do grocery shopping. Her father was at work and her mother was probably shopping. She heard a thumping noise and frowned.

Helena got up and followed the noise. It was coming from the coat closet.

She stopped thinking for a moment. Helena ran away and came back a few moments later with a baseball bat. She walked closer to the door and listened for the thumping. She heard a strangled cry and glared.

The little girl opened the door ready to attack. A small blue girl snapped her head to look at her. She had wings that shined like glass and was a sickly blue color. Her ears were long and pointy and her hair was a very light green. She seemed to be only wearing a ripped blue dress. The creature was chewing one of Tim's old shoes. It spit out the shoelace.

Little Helena Wayne and the creature stared at each other.

Then she screamed and swung the bat. The creature moved fast and hissed at her. Helena began to shriek louder and sprinted away dropping the bat.

The creature spit and wiped its nose.

 **"Hungry..."** it said and began to look for the human girl.

* * *

**METROPOLIS HARBOR**   
  


Bibbo Bibbowski needed to stop drinking at work. He stood watching the ships outside of his bar. His hat was off revealing a growing bald spot. Bibbo was a man that always was sweating even if it was negative two degrees out.

"Alright, hour break over." He clapped trying to amp himself up.

That's when he heard it. The most beautiful singing he had ever heard. He looked for the source.

**_"Come here!"_ **

He looked to see a naked woman in the harbor. Well her upper half was naked her bottom half was a beautiful blue tail.

"Me?" Bibbo asked scratching his head.

She bites her bottom lip and nodded.

"I don't know I'm not a strong-"

She began to sing again and he blushed.

"Aw... shucks... okay..." Bibbo walked slowly towards the beautiful woman in the harbor.

* * *

**ARKHAM ASYLUM**

She slammed her hands against the bars of her holding cell. Her blonde hair was tied up in two pigtails. She watched a Hippogriff fly past her. She remembered the Greek and Roman mythology names. She had to take a class on it for her P.H.D.

She giggled and clapped.

"Man." She let out a breath.

"These meds don't work at all." Harley Quinn ran over to the door and yelled to the other inmates.

"There are creatures in the sky!"

"Shut your mouth clown!" Scarecrow yelled at her.

"Shut yours!" Harley yelled back.

"I see this is fascinating I wonder what the Bat is doing about this." Riddler looked out his window.

He heard Harvey Dent shout for Joker to stop laughing.

Edward Nygma tapped his long fingers against the glass.

All the windows in the asylum had bars on the windows.

"Nygma is this apart of your plan?" Scarecrow whispered as low as he could.

At this point, everyone in the hallway was screaming, laughing, or crying.

"No, no, no dear Jonathan it is not... my piece of the puzzle isn't supposed to come until tomorrow... this just seems to be a mini-adventure."

"Oh." Jonathan looked out his window as well.

For some reason, none of the creatures came near his window.

Not even mythical creatures and monsters wanted Jonathan Crane.


	26. Issue #26

**CENTRAL BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:00 AM LOCAL TIME**

What went wrong with this life? Nightwing shouldn't have been fighting a knight. A knight who claimed to be looking for Merlin.

The knight touched his dagger and looked at Nightwing.

**"I KNOW THIS NOT BE CAMELOT WHERE AM I?"**

"Blüdhaven."

The knight let out a confused scream and tried to stab him in the arm. There was a scream from the sky and the knight stopped. Both Nightwing and the knight looked at a nearby building. He saw something he had never seen in his many years of crime-fighting. It was a large creature with the head and neck of a snake, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion, and the feet of a deer.

**"I MUST DESTROY THE QUESTING BEAST!"**

"Yeah, you go do that." Nightwing gestured for him to go.

This was a knight. Granted Nightwing dropped out of college but he did know that knights were chivalrous and not supposed to hurt civilians.

_Mar'i should be home, shouldn't she? I need to get that girl a phone._

"Give it back you little shit!" Colin Wilkes shouted.

Nightwing heard loud laughing.

He ran towards the noise.

The redhead had a troll on his shoulder who was slapping his head. Another troll was going through his bookbag another troll was holding a rosary and laughing. The troll jumped up and down laughing, he dangled the rosary at Colin.

Colin shouted various amount of curse words. Colin grabbed the troll on his back and flipped him at the troll who was going through his book bag. They both let out screeches.

The troll holding the rosary frowned.

Nightwing grabbed the troll by the hair. He took the rosary and threw him over his shoulder.

Colin grabbed the rosary and shoved it in his pocket.

Colin cursed again and threw a bottle at the trolls as they ran away.

Nightwing suddenly realized where Mar'i learned all of her curse words.

"Are you alright?"

Colin let out a few ragged breaths and nodded.

"You need to get inside... it's a Grimm fairytale story out here."

He nodded and kept his head down.

"Thank you."

Colin walked off. Nightwing wanted to ask if he had seen Mar'i, he wanted to ask if she got home safe, instead, he ran off.

On the opposite side of the city, Mar'i was inside Superboy's body and was beating an Elf with another Elf.

Jon was throwing batarangs in random directions.

"You have to focus on where you're throwing them!"

"Says the guy who is literally setting everything on fire!"

Jon was tackled to the ground by some creature.

"We have to find Klarion now!"

"Where do you think he is?" Mar'i asked pulling the creature off of Jon.

He blinked several times and stood up.

"I assume he's in the castle." Damian droned.

"What castle?" Jon asked.

Damian turned Jon and Mar'i's heads towards a large black castle that was in the sky.

"That's cool, not gonna lie." Jon coughed.

In the castle, Klarion sipped coffee from a pink cup that reads _"FIGHTING EVIL BY MOONLIGHT"._

He let out a smacking sound.

"Ah, I love the taste of chaos in the morning."

Some buildings were on fire, he could see that over in Gotham people were looting and hiding. He sipped his coffee again.

He let out that same smacking sound.

"Meow." His car purred from a large red velvet couch.

"Hush kitty... I'm admiring my work. A king must look at his subjects accordingly."

"Consider this a revolt then."

His coffee cup was knocked out of his hand by a foreign object. He hissed and looked at the door.

"Oh it's you three... how are you adjusting to your new homes?" The skinny boy stretched out his arms and did a bow.

"You're gonna put us back in our bodies you little-" Damian was cut off by a knight come off the wall.

"Children please... watch your language." He sighed disappointedly.

"Kill the cat!" Mar'i screamed.

It was jarring to Jon to hear his voice sound so angry.

 **"Watch your mouth!"** Klarion sneered, his eyes turning red.

Twelve guards burst through the door.

"Protect the king!" One of them shouted and the others let out a fierce battle cry.

* * *

**WAYNE MANOR, GOTHAM**

She hid under her parent's bed. She put a hand over her mouth to quiet her breathing. Curse her house for being so big.

Helena Wayne heard nothing but silence. She let out a shaky breath and crawled out from under the bed. She looked around her parent's room to see if the creature had managed to get in here without her knowing. She grabbed a book from her father's bookshelf. The book probably weighed half her body weight but she was certain it would kill the creature.

She exited the bedroom.

She needed to remain calm. She thought of Cassandra, her sister. Cassandra never was afraid. She wanted to be like Cassandra.

The creature peaked its creature out of a vase and looked at Helena. Helena didn't notice.

The creature smiled.

* * *

**METROPOLIS HARBOR**

Bibbo Bibbowski would never hit a woman... however; this was not a woman.

This was a creature straight from hell.

He held her head back by the ears. The mermaid kept trying to bite his neck. Sharp teeth came out of nowhere.

This was completely out of the ordinary. He had survived too much to die this way.

He kicked her tail and she fell backward.

She looked at him with all-white eyes. She hissed and he saw a long tongue stick out.

She whistled and screamed. He swallowed.

He looked to see other women come from the sea. They looked at him, tilting their heads to the side.

"Aw man... where's the man in blue when you need him?"

* * *

**KLARION'S CASTLE / BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:10 AM LOCAL TIME**

Damian was thrown against a wall with such force that it broke down the wall.

_Curse Mar'i for being so strong-_

Her body felt weirdly warm. He felt a hand on her leg, clearly, he was going to try and throw him again. There it was again and he smelt that smell again.

"Ah!" The guard cried feeling his hand be burned.

"Get off!" Damian yelled and kicked him through a window.

He let out a bunch of ragged breaths. He coughed, he stared at Mar'is hands, and watched them shake.

Jon felt Damian's body go numb. His body felt like it was on fire. He coughed, his lungs burn. A guard kicked him in the stomach. He cried out. His eyes blurred and he swore he saw some of his skin burn off.

"Hurts doesn't it?" Klarion leaned down and whispered to him.

"I don't mean the kick... I mean the burning of your body. Have you heard whispers all day? Have you felt distraught for the whole day? What you feel right now... it's his most painful memory. He's experiencing hers," Klarion tilted Jon's head to the side and he watched as Damian threw up. Damian fell over and plugged Mar'is nose.

"And she is experiencing yours." Klarion again tilted Jon's head.

Jon watched as Mar'i covered his own ears.

 _"I don't understand..."_ Mar'i whispered.

"I'm sorry to say that this rebellion has ended, as most do. Unsuccessfully." Klarion clicked his tongue.

Jon couldn't even look at him he just stared blankly out the window.

A flash of lightning and a boom of thunder went across the sky. Klarion blinked and looked around.

"No... not here... he can't be here."

Someone broke through the ceiling. Jon flinched slightly.

**_"I received a distress call from Batman... Klarion the Witch Boy how appalling it is to see you again."_ **

"Holy crap."

Doctor Fate hovered in the air looking down at Klarion stared eyes wide.

"Teekl... we have a problem..."

* * *

**WAYNE MANOR, GOTHAM**

She threw the book and it hit a lamp. Helena fell backward and hit her head on the hardwood floor.

The little fairy moved to try and bite her. Helena shut her eyes and covered her face.

There was a large bang and she yelped.

"Miss Helena are you alright?"

Helena opened her eyes to see Alfred Pennyworth holding a shotgun. She looked at the wall. The fairy looked like a smushed bug. There was a hole in the wall along with blood.

"Alfred!" Helena cried running to grab the older man's leg.

"What in God's name is that?"

"I want ice cream!" Helena yelled out.

Alfred blinked a few moments.

"Of course, I see you went through a whole ordeal... is that your grandmother's vase?" Alfred raised a brow at her.

She shook her head. "The fairy knocked it over."

"Yes miss Helena..."

He made a note to clean this mess up later.

* * *

**KLARION'S CASTLE / BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:15 AM LOCAL TIME**

Jon was not sure what was happening. He wasn't sure why Teekl the cat was the size of a lion. Doctor Fate made a bubble to protect himself. The cat was trying to tear open the bubble.

 ** _"Klarion you have broken the rules once more."_** Fate boomed throwing the cat back.

 **"Shut up you pile of bones!"** Klarion screeched.

**_"Insolent child."_ **

Klarion pounded his fists on the ground. The ground shook and Fate hovered once more. Fate threw the passed-out guards bodies at him.

Klarion tried to block them, even tearing one guard in half. He walked backward. Jon tripped him. Teekl yelped and ran after him, shrinking down to a normal cat size.

"Let's call a truce." Klarion's suggested in a high-pitched voice.

Jon was amazed at how fast he switched from wrathful to innocent.

Fate glared.

 ** _"You caused complete and utter disarray across twelve cities."_** Fate responded.

"In my defense... I was bored." Klarion waved his hand.

**_"You have to answer for these actions."_ **

"Hmmm... no, I don't-I don't think that's something I'm gonna do." Klarion scratched his head.

**_"Klar-"_ **

"Well, this has been fun bye!"

He snapped and vanished from thin air.

"Um excuse me... Doctor Fate..." Jon tapped his shoulder.

"You're soul has already told me. I shall fix this Superboy wait a moment please."

"Yeah- okay yeah, take your time." Jon took several steps backward.

Fate nodded and flew up.

Jon ran towards Damian.

"Hey, you okay?"

He held out his hand.

Damian held out Mar'is delicate hand. Jon helped him up.

"Not really but I'll live. How's Mar'i?"

She was looking out the window of the castle. She watched as Doctor Fate waved his arms high above the sky. She couldn't hear him speak but she saw the sky go pink. There was a strong wind that almost caused her to fall back.

Various creatures began flying up in the air. Some of them screamed others whistled, others were doing their best to stay on the ground.

"Cool." She whispered.  
  


MEANWHILE IN METROPOLIS

Bibbo watched as the sirens sucked into the sky. He watched. They tried to grab him but he slapped their hands away. They screamed and tried to bite him once more.

Bibbo watched as other creatures flew up. He sighed in relief. And swam back to shore. He fell on his back and let out a groan.

"I need to drink."

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:26 AM LOCAL TIME**

They watched as the castle disintegrated in front of their very eyes. Doctor Fate landed in front of them.

**_"I apologize for Klarion's actions. I shall put you all back in your own bodies."_ **

Doctor Fate said a spell in a language none of them knew. They all felt a tingle go down their spines. They all fell to the ground.

**_"Better?"_ **

Mar'i sat up. She touched her face and then smiled.

"I missed my body. I love you!" She shouted looking down at her own thighs.

"Wow, I forgot what the weather was like up here," Jon said standing up completely.

"A height joke is beneath you Superboy," Damian said standing up.

"Most things are when you're my height." Jon shrugged.

"Hilarious."

**_"I must talk to Batman about this. It was my mistake for not watching Klarion as closely as I should have. I apologize the three of you had to go through such an ordeal."_ **

They all said nothing. He nodded and flew up into the sky.

"Let's go." Damian turned.

"Where are we going?" Jon asked.

"Our hideout."

"We have a hideout?" Mar'i asked hovering over his shoulder.

"I got us a hideout in Blüdhaven. I had the building registered as a waste removal building."

"So our hideout is a trash can?"

"Sure let's go with that."'

"Alright let's go!"

Mar'i flew fast and picked Damian up.

"We need to set up ground rules for you not doing that!" He shouted at her.

Jon laughed and flew beside her.

When they finally reached their hideout. Jon and Mar'i were a little disappointed.

"It's so ugly," Mar'i said bummed.

"Of course it is it has to blend in," Damian said as if it was obvious.

"Still though..."

Damian hopped out of Mar'is arms. He pressed several bricks in random order. He pressed his hand against the door and it opened.

"Woah," Mar'i whispered.

They all went inside. It was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.

There were two floors. On the bottom floor, there were three couches and a large tv on the wall. Next to that living room area, there was a large computer and a table in front of it. There were stairs which led to three bedrooms.

"This is nicer than my apartment," Mar'i said opening the fridge.

Damian walked with his hands behind his back, admiring his own work.

"Um hey... guys..." they both looked at Jon.

"When we were in that castle with Klarion he said something to me..." he went over to sit on one of the couches.

"What'd he say?" Damian asked biting into an apple.

"Something about experiencing each other's worst memories and I didn't want us to not talk about what that means."

It was always awkward trying to get people to open up about their emotions. Especially if one of those people was Damian Wayne. A boy who was raised by assassins and then went to being raised by the Batman.

"Let's sit in a circle and talk about everything." Mar'i grabbed water and nodded at both boys.

"That's not necessary," Damian said quickly.

"Oh, we don't have to talk _in_ detail-"

"We're doing it!"

They all sat in a circle, the room was silent and they glanced at one of each other.

"So who wants to go first?" Mar'i asked.

"You suggested it, you go first." Damian raised a brow that she couldn't even see because of his mask.

She bit at the inside of her cheek.

"So it was our most painful memory is what he said?"

Jon nodded.

Mar'i cleared her throat.

"So um..." she looked at the ground.

"This was a bad never-"

"No! No! I can talk about it, I've just never told people this..."

She took a deep breath and looked at the ground.

"So I just turned ten and there was this guard that would work in the garden. And... I'm sorry my memory is hazy it was so long but I remember I was going out there to look at a new batch of these flowers... and I remember smelling them... we talked that night he seemed very nice.

He wasn't much older than me perhaps he was fifteen. And I came back every night to smell the flowers and talk to him. But one night he pushed me to the ground. I didn't register it as anything until he put a hand over my mouth... he pulled out a knife... I don't really remember what happened next all I could think about were those flowers and how they smelled.

He was pulled off of me before he could do anything... and he was executed the next day. Apparently, he was sent to kill me by my aunt. But part of me always felt terribly sad for him even though he tried to kill me, he was just a boy. He didn't know what he was doing he was so scared."

Mar'i took a deep breath. She wasn't crying like how she thought she would. The opposite actually. It was nice telling this to people.

She looked at both Damian and Jon and they both stared at her. She felt her hair catch fire and she quickly stuttered out;

"Okay someone else go!"

Damian cleared his throat.

"Fine, then I'll go... although mines not... there's not much of a story to mine."

Mar'i and Jon waited.

"I don't know how to say it without it sounding bizarre..."

"Just say it don't think about it." Jon nodded.

"I... died..."

Jon's eyes almost shot out of his head.

"You what?" Mar'i asked softly.

"I died."

How had Jon not been told this before? Damian was _his_ best friend! How did this vital information never been passed down to him?

 _This isn't about you!_ Jon thought and held his breath.

"I don't know how to really explain. It was a long time ago. I was alive and then I died."

"And now you're alive again." Jon finished.

"I don't really think about it... I don't even remember it at all. It hits me in waves. I'll be sitting in my room and then it hits me that it happened. I died and then I came back and I don't know if I learned anything from the experience."

"The experience... of dying? What is there to learn?" Mar'i asked genuinely intrigued.

"Everything bad that happens to you, you're supposed to learn something from it."

"You shouldn't have to learn anything though. Life isn't a Disney show. Sometimes bad things happen and you don't learn anything." Jon brought his knees to his chest.

"I learned that I don't like dying." Damian flicked a cashew into his mouth.

"Your turn Jonny."

"Mines not... as intense as you guys."

"We're not making a ranking of trauma," Damian explained.

"But mines just my grandpa dying... it's not like I almost got assassinated or literally **died**."

"That's a good thing." Damian droned.

He sighed.

"So yeah that's mine. My grandpa died. And now I hate hospitals- I mean I've always hated hospitals but I hate them more now..."

They all stayed silent.

"I have something to say." Damian looked at Mar'i.

"Um... you can talk you don't have to ask for permission this isn't a class."

"Right..."

They both stared at Damian waiting for him to continue. He looked at the ground and took several breaths.

He took off his mask. Mar'i yelped, tackled him, and covered his eyes.

"What are you doing?!"

"You don't want me to see it's because we're having an emotional moment!"

"And you're ruining this emotional moment by tackling me!" Damian tried tearing her hand off his eyes.

"Stop it!"

"Fine. I'll just tell you my name-"

 **"No!"** She shrieked

"He's Damian Wayne!" Jon shouted then covered his mouth.

Mar'i pauses and removed her hand. Damian stared up at her.

"Oh... huh..." she sat up still on top of him.

"What?" Damian snapped.

"It's a little disappointing-"

Damian pushed her off.

"Ow!"

"I take it back."

"You can't take back your secret identity!"

"Just did." He crosses his arms.

"No, you can't!" Mar'i slapped his arm.

"Says you."

"I have a name for us." Jon said interrupting their "argument".

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... I was thinking about how we did a "rebellion" when we stormed the castle... so um what about Rebels?"

"Oh cute, it's catchy!" Mar'i clapped.

"It is catchy. Fine that will work for now."

And so the Rebels they became.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> roll credits! (no just kidding...) I hoped you liked this section of the book because I had fun with all these creatures and all the mythical stuff.


	27. Issue #27

**OPAL CITY**   
**8:19 PM LOCAL TIME**

Jackson Andrews was dropped off at his home. He was at a friend's birthday party that ran later than he had expected.

The blonde boy got out his house key and twisted it to the right. It took him forever how to learn how to unlock a door.

He expected his dad and mom to be up watching for him. The lights were off and the house alarm did not seem to be on.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!! I brought you cake!" He shouted.

No one responded. He frowned and took off his shoes.

"Just kidding." He yawned.

It was past his bedtime. He went to his bed and put his pajamas on quickly. Jackson got in his bed and looked at a picture on his nightstand.

It was of his dad in his police officer uniform. His mom had a hand on his dad's shoulder and Jackson was smiling big. He had just lost his front tooth and he wanted to show it off.

"I should tell them goodnight..." Jackson sighed.

He was disappointed his mom hadn't come in immediately and kissed him goodnight. Jackson tossed his covers off and skipped to his parents' room.

He didn't knock, knowing that was something hated, and taught him **not** to do that.

"I'm her..."

His mom was on the floor. Her nightgown was ripped in the back and she was bleeding heavily. Her eyes were open in fear but her chest was not moving up and down. Some of her blonde hair had been ripped out of her skull.

His dad had his head bashed in and Jackson could see some of his brains. He didn't know brains actually looked like that. There was an 'A' inside a circle on the wall.

Jackson stayed very still before he let out a scream that could probably be heard halfway around the world.

* * *

**METROPOLIS**   
**11:16 AM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Jon hated the city. If he could leave the civilized world behind and live in a cottage with three people around he would take it in a heartbeat. Clark had pulled him out of school so he could look at "their" new apartment.

"Oh, this is gonna be your room." Clark opened a large white door.

The bedroom was probably the size of the whole Kent farm.

"This is a lot of space..."

"You don't like it?" Clark asked with a frown.

 _Not one bit._ Jon thought when he fully entered the room.

"It's fine..."

Clark sighed.

"It's fine I'm just trying to imagine where all my stuff is gonna be is all." Jon looked out the window.

He watched the people below walk by.

"Jon it's a nice apartment."

"It's an expensive apartment." Jon rebutted watching a woman talk on the phone and hold twelve shopping bags.

"Don't worry about the cost."

How can two reporters get such a big apartment?

"We haven't even sold the farm yet don't you think it's a little soon to be looking at apartments?"

"Do you want to look at a different apartment?"

Jon stared back. Did anyone listen to the young Kent boy when he talked?

"Dad-"

Clark's phone rang and he answered it quickly.

"Clark Kent... no Jimmy... what do you mean he's there... Jimmy do _not_ do that.... Jim no Lois will kill you... I'll let her I mean it this time... I'll be back there in less than ten minutes... bye Jim."

Clark hung up the phone and rubbed his forehead.

"I gotta go." Clark sighed.

"Yeah, I got that." Jon nodded.

"I'll call you a-"

"Nah I'll fly it's okay."

"Oh, alright." Clark cleared his throat and looked at Jon's 'room' one last time before saying;

"I think once you have all your stuff in here you'll like the room a lot."

Somehow Jon doubted that.

He walked around Metropolis for about an hour. After all, Clark had taken him out of school to see the city and the apartment.

Jon eventually flew to the Rebels hideout and watched bad daytime tv.

The door opened and Mary came inside.

"Hi!" She said looking at him alarmed.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here it's 12 shouldn't you be in school?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

She walked over to the couch. He sat up so she could sit next to him. She took off her amulet and stretched.

"I had a half-day today, and I didn't feel like going home yet."

"Oh..."

She bumped into his shoulder. "Okay so why are you here?"

He bumped her back. "I went to Metropolis today to look at some apartments with my dad, well one apartment really."

"How was that?" Mar'i asked.

"It's too big..."

"What is? The apartment?"

"Yeah."

He looked at Mar'i in the corner of his eye. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her mouth was twisted to the side.

"I don't need a lot of space like that... I guess it's different cause you ya know lived in a palace." Jon said awkwardly.

"Hm... well one day when I got back to Tamaran and if you ever visit me I'll be sure for them to make you a small shed outside the city."

They both laughed and they continued to watch tv.

About an hour later Damian walked in and snapped to get both of their attention. He put his bag near the hallway stairs.

"What are you two doing over the weekend?"

"I have an English essay," Mar'i said. "But I'm not going to do it so it's fine."

"I didn't have school today so I'm free."

"We're going to Opal City." Damian walked over to the control panel in the other room.

"How far is that?" Mar'i whispered to Jon.

"Uh, probably more than six miles but like less than a hundred."

She blinked several times.

"How long does it take to go six miles?"

"A police chief and his wife were brutally murdered last night. They were found by their son." Damian interrupted looking at a news report.

"There was an 'A' on the wall it's saying that it was from the mother's blood with the fathers." Damian looked up at both of them.

"Okay..." Jon said blinking.

"An 'A'." Damian emphasized again.

Jon and Mar'i stared.

He sighed and changed the news report.

"This is Anarky he was in Gotham a long time before I was Robin. In his philosophy, he seems to be an-"

"Anarchist?" Jon interrupted.

"Look at you using that hard head of yours. He disappeared from Gotham, Batman had been keeping track of small blips of him here and there but nothing substantial."

"Does Batman know you're going?" Mar'i asked tilting her head to the side.

"Of course not but I don't see what that has to do with anything."

Mar'i felt something buzz in her back pocket and she pulled out an old-looking cellphone.

"You got a phone?" Jon asked looking at it.

"I guess I don't know how to click- oh hello?" Mar'i asked excitedly.

 _"Where are you right now?"_ Jon heard Dick's voice on the other line.

"Where am I?" She looked at Jon and Damian. "I'm at Nell's apartment."

Her voice was smooth and didn't waver.

_"When are you coming home?"_

"I was hoping I could sleepover."

Dick was silent before saying. _"Oh uh, sure?"_

"Okay thank you bye!"

She hung up and put her phone back in her pocket.

Last night Mar'i had put her costume here so Dick wouldn't find it. Although originally it was in her underwear drawer so it was doubtful he would have found it, to begin with.

"With you and Superboys top speed it should take 30 minutes to get there."

Mar'i and Jon turned to each other.

They did Rock Paper Scissors. She did rock and he did scissors.

"I can cut through the rock," Jon said with his mouth twisted to the side.

"No you can't, don't try and trick me!" She poked his chest.

He sighed.

"You two are very annoying I want you both to know that." Damian walked out of the room grabbing his bag.

* * *

**OPAL CITY**   
**4: 18 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Superboy had never been to Opal City. It wasn't near Gotham or Metropolis it was seventeen miles east of Central City.

The geography of the city was interesting. Of course, since it was a city the buildings were squished together say for a few alleyways. But the other half of the city looked like Smallville. White picket fences and nice uniform homes. Superboy felt like his worlds were colliding.

They arrived at the Andrews house. They lived in a nice neighborhood, white picket fences, and small colorful basketball hoops. Superboy felt bad when looking around the dead couple's house.

"Have either of you read Antigone?" Nightstar asked looking at their DVD case.

Robin said they should look for anything missing, broken, or hidden cameras. Basically anything out of the ordinary.

"Yes, why?" Robin asked taking pictures of the crime scene.

"That's what my English essay is on and I didn't get the story."

She opened a DCD case.

"Did you read Oedipus or anything with him?" Robin looked at a color-coated bookshelf.

He had never seen anyone organize their bookshelf in such a way before.

"Is that the guy who married his mom?" Superboy asked.

Robin sighed. "There's more to the story than that."

"Wait, what?" Nightstar turned around.

Robin opened his mouth but Superboy said:

"This guy named Oedipus like married his mom has kids and then carved his eyes out or something and there's this theory that all guys are attracted to their moms-"

Nightstar stared at both Robin and Superboy with a sickened look on her face.

"You both are attracted to your mothers-"

 **"No!"** Superboy and Robin yelled.

"So this Oedipus married his mother-"

"He didn't know it was his mother."

"Sure he didn't." Nightstar rolled her eyes.

"There's nothing missing in this house. There's not force entry either, he probably picked the lock." Superboy sighed.

"They have an alarm system, the alarm system didn't go off at all during the night," Robin explained.

"Well, maybe they kept it off for the kid. You said in a report he was coming back from a friend's birthday?" Nightstar looked at a picture of the whole family.

"Yeah but Anarky wouldn't know..." Robin's voice trailed off.

"What?" Superboy asked.

"There are no cameras on this street... neighborhood watch isn't gonna be helpful either..."

"Are you gonna tell us what you're thinking or-"

"He has to have been stalking them. All of them that's how he knew... he may have even talked to Jermey."

"He's the son of a police chief you really think he's gonna talk to a stranger?" Superboy shook his head doubtful.

"Children's curiosity can get the better of them sometimes."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Nightstar crossed her arms.

"We need to find out what hospital Jackson Andrews is at and then we have to talk to him."

* * *

**OPAL CITY GENERAL HOSPITAL**   
**5:24 PM CENTRAL TIME**   
  


They stood at the top of the hospital. Robin was trying to find out what room Jackson Andrews was in.

"Are you okay?" Superboy asked Nightstar.

"I'm still thinking about how you're attracted to your mother." Nightstar let out a quiet laugh.

"Just because Sigmund Freud thought his mom was hot, it doesn't mean I do okay?"

Nightstar raised a brow. "Okay, so what are you attracted to?"

"What do you mean-"

"Room 12 B on the trauma floor." Robin interrupted.

 _"Oh wow, I thought Comic-Con was in San Diego,_ _not Opal City."_ A man's stern voice said from behind them.

The Rebels turned around.

A man and a woman were standing on the air conditioning. He wore a uniform of red and white. Red wing-like strings came from his back, he was tall and muscular, the only skin you could see was the lower parts of his face. The woman was shorter than him with white hair and a uniform like the man's except it was blue and white. She didn't have the wings but she did have a cape. She wore a blue and white mask with a small smirk on her features.

"That's a little pot calling the kettle black don't you think?" Robin droned.

Both strangers looked at each other.

"Does Batman know you're here?" The man in red asked Robin.

"Does Dove know that your toxic masculinity is going to put a damper on your already deteriorating relationship?" Robin bit back.

"Very cute little bird." The woman said.

"Again you _too_ are a bird."

"Hi," Nightstar said stepping in front of Robin.

She was a princess after all she wanted to be diplomatic.

"Who is this?" The man asked pointing to Nightstar and looked at Superboy and Robin.

"This is Nightstar," Robin explained.

"Hawks." Dove pointed to Hawk.

"Dove." Hawk pointed to Dove.

"Okay. Great, we're all acquainted now if you'll excuse us-" Robin grabbed Nightstar's arm.

"You're here to see the Andrews boy," Dove said.

"Who said having a bird brain was a bad thing?" Robin rolled his eyes under his mask.

"Look this is our city, you guys can't just come in here and withhold information from us." Hawks snapped at them.

Dove crossed her arms.

"A moment." Robin grabbed Superboy by his cape and Nightstar by the bottom of her skirt.

They huddled together.

"It is their city, they know it more than we do," Superboy explained.

"We do not need to be babysat," Robin argued back.

"I don't think they're gonna leave us alone so we might as well get their help." Nightstar peaked over at Hawk and Dove.

"She's right dude."

Robin groaned and stood up. They walked over to Hawk and Dove once more.

"Fine... we will accept your _unneeded_ help."

Superboy could tell Hawk was annoyed but Dove gave him a look.

"Okay now that we have our alliance let's talk strategy." Hawks nodded.

Superboy could tell Robin was about to say something rude so he put his hand over Robin's mouth.

"Yeah... strategy."


	28. Issue #28

  
**OPAL CITY**   
**5:27 PM LOCAL TIME**

The sun was finally setting leaving a pink and orange hue across the sky.

"There's police posted outside of Jackson's room. A nurse checks on him every thirty minutes. So we should have time to talk to him." Robin explained to all of them.

"I'll talk to him." Hawks had a harsh tone but something told Superboy that's just how he always sounded.

"Maybe Superboy should do it." Nightstar chimed in.

Hawk and Dove looked at her.

"Well ya know he's ten right... what ten-year-old doesn't like Superman... or Superboy..." Nightstar hit Superboy in the shoulder and he put his hands on his hips and stood up tall.

"She's got a point." Robin agreed

Although part of Nightstar thought he was just agreeing to further annoy Hawk.

Superboy nodded at all of them and flew down to Jackson's hospital window. He used his x-ray vision to see him on the bed.

He was wearing a hospital gown his knees were brought to his chest and his head rested on his knees. He was staring at the light blue and green hospital sheets.

_Should I knock?_

No that might freak him out... although going in without knocking would be rude.

He opened the window and knocked after already entering.

Jackson jumped and looked at the window with wide eyes. Superboy could hear his heart beating quickly. He was about to push a button calling for a nurse but Superboy rushed over in the blink of an eye.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay I'm not gonna hurt you I promise." He whispered softly.

Jackson stared at the 'S' on Superboys chest, he met up to Superboy's chin but not his eyes.

"You're Jackson, right? Is it okay if I sit down so we can talk?"

Jackson brought his knees back to his chest. He nodded. Superboy sat down and fumbled with his hands.

"Are you really Superboy?" Jackson asked in a timid voice.

Superboy looked over.

"Yeah of course. Feel the costume it's authentic." Superboy held out his arm and winked playfully.

Jackson reaches out and pulled on Superboys blue sleeve. He kept touching the material, rubbing the blue fabric between his fingers. It seemed to calm him down. Superboy watched carefully before speaking up.

"I'm really sorry what happened with your parents Jackson."

Jackson stopped touching Superboys arm.

"I should have..." the boys' voice trailed off.

"This isn't your fault," Superboy whispered.

"I'm so weak... I'm an idiot." The boy choked on a sob.

"No, no, no you're not." Superboy raised his hand to touch Jackson's shoulder.

Jackson shut his eyes tight. Superboy put his hand down and thought for a moment.

"Hey, Jack- can I call you Jack?"

Jackson said nothing. He nodded.

"Did you talk to anyone about that birthday party you went to?"

"Yeah I talked to Lucy and Andrew but they were invited too..." Jackson hiccuped.

"Did you talk to anyone else? Or did you see anyone you haven't seen before looking around?" Superboy asked.

Jackson shook his head.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it's okay you didn't do anything."

 _"Superboy."_ He heard Robin whisper.

_"Another cop is dead."_

Superboy cleared his throat.

"Superboy?"

"Yeah?"

Jackson flung himself into Superboys arms. Superboy caught him and rubbed his head. Jackson sniffed and hugged him as hard as he could muster. Which to Superboy felt like nothing.

Superboy could hear a doctor coming towards the door.

"I'll find the person who did. I promise." Jackson looked hot at him with puffy red eyes. Superboy expected a smile but instead, Jackson's frown deepened.

Superboy quickly flew out the window and back up to the roof. Robin was sitting on the edge looking at something.

Superboy furrowed his eyebrows at seeing Nightstar, Hawk, and Dove were not there.

"They went to check the crime scene. He say anything useful?"

Superboy sat next to him. "He said he didn't talk to anyone about the party except for two other kids who were already invited."

Robin chewed the inside of his cheek.

"There's this other thing too..." Superboy wasn't sure how to phrase it.

"What?"

"He acted really timid... and he kept saying he had to be stronger."

"In his defense, he did find come home and find his parents _brutally_ murdered," Robin explained slowly.

"No, no, no. This was different..." Superboy thought for a moment.

"Forget I said anything."

"Already forgotten let's go."

Although that thought stayed in the back of Robin's mind.

* * *

**OPAL CITY**   
**5:36 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Nightstar looked around the living room of the Conners household.

She picked up a stuffed animal.

Dove looked at her and said, "don't touch that."

Nightstar blinked and put it down. Dove and Hawk gave each other knowing glances.

Nightstar walked into the couple's bedroom. She opened their closet.

"Why did she have to be the one to come with us?" Hawk whispered to Dove as he examined the trail of blood.

"She's nice..."

"Most twelve-year-olds are Dove."

Dove clicked her tongue.

"Her, Robin, and Superboy are a package deal. And she's not twelve... she's like six foot five..."  
Dove opened a drawer.

Hawk mumbled something under his breath.

"This belt feels weird," Nightstar said aloud.

"Jesus Christ." Hawk cried out annoyed.

Dove stepped on his foot.

"Weird how?" Dove asked.

"The leather is worn out. Wearing a belt wouldn't do that..." Nightstar looks at the middle of the brown belt. It cracked, she resisted the urge to pick at it.

Nightstar kept looking at the belt. Dove looked at Hawk.

"Okay, so she's a little weird," Dove whispered.

"Find anything?" Robin asked.

Nightstar was about to speak but Hawk spoke first.

"He killed the husband in the bed. Twelve stab wounds in all. Also," Hawk walked over next to the bedroom door. He closed it slightly to show a hole in the wall.

"There's this."

"What about the wife?" Superboy asked.

Hawk and Dove stayed silent.

"The wife is still alive," Nightstar said.

"What?"

"Yeah, she's alive and another thing. Macy Conner, their daughter was home when the murder happened." Nightstar touched the belt and looked at Robin.

"Robin come here a moment."

Robin walked over to her.

"Put out your hands."

He did. She wrapped the belt around her knuckles and punched his hand. He jumped back. Hawk snorted while Dove and Superboy looked at Nightstar like she had lost her mind.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

"Interesting." Nightstar was about to punch him again but he caught her wrist.

"Stop it!"

"That's how the belt got damaged." Nightstar.

"You and this damn belt..." Hawk whispered.

"See how the cracks are primarily where my knuckles are." She showed Robin.

Robin thought for a moment. He glanced at Superboy who had a confused look on his face.

"We need to leave... I have a theory."

As they left the scene Nightstar whispered to Robin.

"Sorry I punched you."

He sighed.

"I was gonna do it to Hawk but I don't think he likes me enough."

Robin leaned over and whispered, "when we're done you can punch him."

"No ones punching anyone." Superboy intervened.

"Of course not." Robin frowned.

Superboy sighed and looked away from both of them.

Robin elbowed Nightstar and mouthed, _"don't listen to Superboy. Do it."_

"So Boy Wonder what's your theory?" Dove asked crossing her arms.

"Don't call me that. And I think... that these police officers were abusers."

Everyone stayed completely silent.

"All this because Nightstar punched you?" Hawk didn't buy it.

"You said Jermey was acting timid? Was he looking you in the eye?" Robin asked Superboy.

Superboy thought for a moment.

"No."

"Okay wait, wait, wait." Dove waved her arms.

"You can't just accuse two police officers of abusing their families. And even if it's true why did _your_ rogue kill Officer Andrew's wife?"

"Maybe he didn't mean to kill her." Nightstar put her hand on the nape of her neck.

"Or he didn't know _not_ to kill her." Superboy continued her train of thought.

"What does that mean?" Hawk asked not understanding.

"He has a partner. His partner probably knows and works with both children and that's how he knew Jackson would be at the party." Robin exclaimed.

"Jackson Andrews and Macy Conner are in different grades." Dove clenched and unclenched her fist.

"How much do you want to bet they're in the school?" Robin asked in a mischievous tone.

Dove said nothing to that.

"Okay. So this dirtbags partner is helping him find shitty cops. How do we find him?" Hawk leaned against the brick wall.

A single street light hanged above all of them leaving half of their faces in the shadows and the other in bright light.

"Who are people kids talk to?" Robin tapped his chin.

"Other kids?" Nightstar thought.

"Yeah, I'm sure little Katie committed three graphic murders." Hawk crossed his arms.

"It's probably someone in the school system." Dove still didn't believe any of this.

"School councilors." Superboy snapped his fingers.

"Oh come on no one takes school councilors seriously," Hawk exclaimed.

No one said anything.

"Ah hell." Hawk sighed.

"Both students go to Opal Elementary their guidance counselor is Daniel Jacobson he lives near Ramsey Park? Apartment 3C?"

"There's one apartment building across the street from Ramsey Park," Dove informed.

"Well let's give him a visit." Hawk punched his open palm.

As the Rebels and Hawk and Dove made their way to the house of one Daniel Jacobson. Robin couldn't help but wonder how a guidance counselor wound up helping a man commit three murders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come back for issue #29 for the conclusion of Rebels featuring Hawk and Dove!


	29. Chapter 29

**OPAL CITY**   
**5:58 PM LOCAL TIME**

He paced back and forth. He kept away from the window like he had been told.

Daniel Jacobson didn't know how he got himself in this situation. He worked three jobs to get through college to help people and now he was an accessory to murder.

Daniel felt a sharp pain in his back and fell to the ground.

"Was that necessary?" He hears a woman ask.

She sounded young.

"No, but I'm not gonna _not_ punch a cop killer." The man bites back.

He passed out.

Daniel regained consciousness and squinted. He tried sitting up but he was tied to a chair.

"You got anything you want to confess or are we gonna have to get violet Danny-Boy?" Hawk crosses his arms.

Nightstar, Superboy, and Robin decided to let Hawk and Dove handle negotiating.

"The money's in my wallet please don't-"

"We don't want money Danny we want to know why you let your partner murder three people and leave a kid orphaned." Dove's voice was even and calm.

Hawk looked like he was struggling to control himself. His fists were clenched and his breath was ragged.

"I don't know what you're talking about-!"

Hawk punched him in the face. Superboy flinched hearing a bone break.

Due to Daniel's dark skin, a bruise was not very visible but they all knew one was there.

"We can help Danny," Dove said.

Robin found her voice condescending. Daniel began to sob. Hawk and Dove made no movement to comfort him.

Nightstar walked towards him. She leaned down to look at him. She touched his hand and smiled a reassuring smile.

"We know you didn't want little Jackson's mom to die. You were trying to protect him and I think you were trying to protect her too." Nightstar rubbed his hand.

Daniel looked at her and sniffed.

"We can help you, Daniel, _really_ help you." Superboy intervened giving him a soft smile.

Daniel looked from Superboy to Robin who simply nodded at him.

"They're gonna kill me," Daniel whispered.

"Once Anarky is in prison back in Gotham-"

"Not him!" Daniel yelled.

"The police! They're gonna kill me I can't... I can't."

Nightstar nite down on her nail before saying.

"We won't tell the police. You'll go away free. No one has to know."

Daniel's eyes widened at her.

Hawk grabbed Nightstar by her collar and pulled her back. He lifted her up by her collar and glared at her.

"Who do you think you are?" He asked.

Nightstar glanced down at his hand and back at him. Her head tilted to the side.

"I'm Nightstar. And you have three seconds to let go of me or you lose that hand." She said in a hushed whisper.

Her eyes glowed an even brighter green.

One.

Two.

Superboy slapped Hawk's hand and Nightstar fell back to the floor.

"She said to let her go." Superboy glared.

"Tell your little alien girlfriend that she has no business making promises like that!"

"I'm not gonna tell her anything- _and_ she's not my-!"

Robin looked at Daniel. He walked closer to him.

"You won't go to jail. Not a word will be spoken and no harm will come to you." Robin cut the ropes Daniel was in.

Robin held out his hand. "I promise."

Daniel looked at him and shook his hand gently.

"Tell us what happened. All of it."

Daniel sighed.

"Kids come to me, most of them don't have a lot of friends so they eat lunch in my room. They talk and I listen. I noticed a lot of the kids that come and talk to me are the children of police officers, I thought nothing of it. But then they started talking about... their parents and what goes on... how their fathers would..."

"Be violent." Dove finished with her arms crossed.

Daniel nodded. He rubbed his face and rubbed his forehead.

"Why didn't you go to the police?"

Daniel scoffed and looked at Hawk.

"Is that a joke? They're not gonna turn on their own. Especially not when one of those accused is the chief of police."

Hawk grunted and leaned against a wall.

"Did you know if any of it had been reported?" Superboy asked.

Daniel looked at the ground. "They're sealed. It's like they threw it in the back of the closet. Never to be worried about again."

"He approached you?"

Daniel thought of his first meeting with Anarky.

He said his name was Eric Vale. He said he was a reporter. He wanted to report and expose all these corrupt police officers. Daniel realized soon that he was not who he said he was.

His real name was Lonnie Machin. And he was a murderer.

"I swear she wasn't supposed to die. Diane was a sweet woman-"

"But you knew that Anarky was going to kill Officer Andrews?" Hawk asked.

Daniel struggles to find his words. He finally spoke.

"I was born to join in love, not hate - that is my nature."

"Antigone," Robin answered glancing at Nightstar for a quick moment.

"I love these kids and I didn't want to see them get hurt anymore. I need you to understand that I would have done this on my own. He... Jackson told me about that birthday party so I knew he wouldn't be home. I told Anarky about everything and he said he would take care of it all. I should have known his methods would have been... crass..."

"Crass? He stabbed the man almost twenty times and used his blood as a canvas on the wall!" Hawk yelled throwing his hands in the air.

"And I'm not sorry about that!" Daniel yelled.

Hawk was about to punch him but Superboy pushed him back against the wall. It was gentle all things considered.

"Jackson took three days off school because his father broke his arm. Macy doesn't even talk in fear she'll say the wrong thing. I've accepted that I am going to hell for what I have helped with tonight. But I'm not sorry. The only thing I am sorry for is that Diane Andrews had to die. **That** is the only reason I'm helping you."

"Is Anarky coming back?" Superboy asked.

"No."

"Do you know where he's going?" Robin asked already knowing the answer

"Yes," Daniel said after a moment.

He looked at a picture of himself at his college graduation.

"Officer Roger Brown, he lives 240 on Johnson's Street... the blue house with the nice sunflowers painted on the white fence."

"You've been a great help. Thank you." Nightstar smiled sincerely.

"Sorry about this." Dove sighed.

"Sorry, for-!"

Dove punched him and he passed out again.

"What was that for?!" Superboy yelled.

"He still is an accessory for a murder he at least deserves another punch." Dove glanced at Nightstar but said nothing.

"You, Superboy, and Hawk go to the house."

Dove looked at him confused.

"What are you two doing?" Hawk gestured between the two teenagers.

"Don't worry about it. Nightstar let's go." Robin jumped out the window and climbed up the fire escape.

"Oh um okay." Nightstar flew after him.

She took his arm and they flew off. When she knew they were out of sight Nightstar spoke.

"Mind telling me where we're going?" She asked.

"I don't know about you but I think the whole city should know what Daniel knows. We're going to the police station." Robin informed.

He pointed to the right and she flew.

"That's... very nice of you to do," Nightstar informed.

"Nice has nothing to do with it. It's what's right."

* * *

**OPAL CITY**   
**6:04 PM LOCAL TIME**

Superboy flew ahead of Hawk and Dove.

He can move faster than a speeding bullet it just made sense.

The door was slightly ajar and he made his way inside.

He heard muffled cries. He let out a small breath and burst through the door.

Officer Roger Brown was tied up next to his bed. His wife - Rachel Brown was leaning against the closet door. She wasn't tied up but she didn't dare move. The bottom of her white nightgown had specks of blood.

Roger was bleeding heavily from the neck. He was alive. Barley though.

"Well look who decided to crash my party." A sick voice said.

Superboy turned to look at him.

Anarky was sitting in a velvet blue chair. He wore a gold mask that hid his face. His costume was all red and right in the center was an 'A' in a circle. He held a kitchen knife in his lap and he had his head in his palm. His right leg was crossed over his left and he tapped his foot to the sound of his own music.

"Drop the knife."

"You better start applying press to the wound. He's bleeding pretty bad." Anarky pointed his knife towards Roger Brown.

Superboy rushed over and covered the wound around his neck. Blood squirted onto his face and he swallowed.

"It's gonna be okay. I promise." He whispered to the man's shaking wife.

The woman looked at him. Bright green eyes bore into his. There was something behind that look. What was it?

"He's right it will be okay. But no thanks to him." Anarky scratched his neck.

"You killed an innocent woman. Do you really think you're gonna get away with that? Do you even care?"

He just had to wait for Hawk and Dove. They couldn't be far behind now.

"A tragedy yes. But a necessary one I suppose. People have to die for the cause."

"But not you huh. It's easy to let other people die for you."

Anarky thought for a moment. Superboy was about to attack him.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that. I can assure you if you move to hurt me, he will die." Anarky leaned over.

He could use heat vision but what if he missed? Or Anarky dodged it? Then the house would be on fire and Superboy would surely not be able to save the man from bleeding out.

"You don't even know what your cause is."

"I'm making it up as I go I'll be honest." Anarky glanced at Mrs. Brown.

The woman stared at the tv stand not moving.

"If I hadn't killed him he would have killed you." He spoke to the woman who flinched.

Roger choked on blood and gripped Superboy's arm.

"It's okay. It's gonna be okay." Superboy assured him.

"That's right. Look him in the eyes and lie."

Anarky stood up and threw up his arms.

"Lie to him like how he lied to the whole city! Lie and say you'll protect him like how he was **SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THIS CITY!** "

The window burst open and Anarky was tackled to the ground. The knife was dropped and his arms were pinned behind his back.

"You're going to jail you piece of shit." Hawk smashes the villain's head against the floor.

Flashing police lights came into Superboys view.

Dove picked up Rachel Brown and carried her out quickly.

"Well aren't you strong? Super strength is such a useless power."

"Oh yeah?" Hawk held up Anarky's wrist and crushed it in his hand.

Anarky screamed in pain.

"The ambulance is here everything's..."

When Superboy looked into the officer's eyes he saw nothing. No fear, no anger, nothing.

"He's dead... I don't understand I did everything right I-"

"Idiot." Anarky was lifted up by Hawk.

His hands pinned behind his back. Officers burst through the door with their guns drawn.

"He was dead before you even got here. You really think I was gonna leave all this chance?" Anarky sneered.

The pertinaciousness of his voice had vanished.

"Get him out of here." Hawk instructed watching the man being handcuffed.

"In a way it's beautiful. It's like we both killed him!" Anarky let out a loud laugh.

"Superboy we need to bag the body." A paramedic said awkwardly.

"Sorry," Superboy mumbled and stood up.

He walked out the whole in the window. He watched Rachel hug her daughter as tight as she could. Superboy listened to the daughters' heartbeat. It was normal as if she had just come back from school.

"Superboy."

He turned.

Robin and Nightstar came from the sky. They both ran over to him.

"Are you alright?" Nightstar asked.

"What happened is Officer..." Robin's voice trailed off watching a body bag being taken from the house.

"I tried to stop the bleeding but I couldn't," Superboy informed both of them.

Robin said something a language he couldn't understand -probably Arabic- Nightstar agreed with his foreign sentiment.

"Oh, Jonny your hands," Nightstar whispered to him.

Superboy looked at his hands for the first time since he arrived at the house. Blood went up to his forearm.

"I'll get you water." She flew off.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked putting his hand on Superboys shoulder.

"Anarky's going to Arkham?"

"Most likely."

"Good. I hope..."

Superboy shut his eyes and sighed.

He couldn't say that. He needed to be better than that.

Nightstar came back she opened the water bottle.

She took his hands in hers and poured to the cool water over his bloody hands. He watched the water turn red and drop to the green grass beneath them.

His hands were clean and she used a star bolt to dry them.

"You're like a hand dryer..." Superboy muttered.

Robin shook his head, Superboy saw a small smile.

"Yeah. Well, I'm not drying this."

She flicked the remaining water in his face.

"Mean."

She blew a kiss at him.

"Well, we suppose we should thank you all." Dove smiled.

Hawk and Dove wandered over to the trio.

"We suppose. We're not going to though." Hawk nodded.

"Hm." Robin glared. "Nightstar you can do it now."

"Really?" She asked touching his arm.

"Do what?" Superboy asked.

Nightstar smiled clapping.

She walked over to Hawk and punched him in the face.

He let out a painful yelp and fell to the ground. Dove jumped and touched his back.

"Well, have a nice night bye!"

Nightstar grabbed Superboys cape and picked Robin up. She flew quickly into the night.

"Hawk... Hank are you alright?" Dove whispered concerned.

Hawk let out a laugh and spit out some blood. He stood up and wiped his mouth.

"She punches pretty well."

"You're insane." Dove chuckled.

"A little." Hawk shrugged.

They both watched Anarky be pushed into a transport van.  
  


* * *

**PAUL'S DINER, GOTHAM CITY**   
**6:37 CENTRAL TIME**   
  


"You should not have punched him." Superboy sipped his vanilla milkshake.

"He was a dick this whole team-up. And he said I could!" Nightstar threw up her hands.

"It was funny I should have told you to kick him too."

The diner was empty the only other person there was their usual waitress.

Nightstar licked her chocolate milkshake off the bottom of her straw.

Robin bit down on the cherry of his strawberry milkshake.

"I would have kicked him if you let me."

"I know." Robin had a smile on his face.

It seemed to be a genuine one.

"Where did you two go anyways?" Superboy asked licking some whipped cream of Nightstars milkshake.

She slapped his hand and took some whipped cream off of his milkshake.

"Dug up those alleged 'buried' police files sent them to the local newspaper. Up to them on what they want to do with the information."

Superboy thought for a moment.

"So everyone's gonna know about Officer Rogers?"

"Probably." Robin watched Superboy carefully.

"What's wrong?" Nightstar frowned.

"I think... Rachel Rogers... his wife... I think she wanted me to let him die."

Robin and Nightstar glanced at each other.

"Anarky said it was like we both killed him."

"You didn't kill him. You did everything in your power to help that man." Nightstar shook her head.

_Even if he didn't deserve it._

Were her unsaid words.

"You do what you can. The important thing is that Anarky is off to Arkham and Rachel Rogers and her daughter can sleep well at night. I'm sure both of them will sleep better than they have had in a long time." Robin nodded looking Superboy in the eyes.

They (Robin as always) paid for the check and left the diner.

Nightstar stretched. "I gotta write this stupid essay."

She groaned at the thought.

"Thought you said you weren't gonna do it?" Superboy asked with a smile.

"Oh shush!"

Both boys laughed at that.

Before they could bid each other goodbye the ground shook so hard they all fell to the ground.

"Earthquake?" Superboy asked covering Robin's and Nightstar's heads.

As soon as it started it stopped. They stood still for a moment before hearing;

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

One after another.

They looked at the Gotham skyline and saw fires beginning to spread. Superboy heard seven car crashes.

Their waitress with the red hair came outside.

"Go inside. Lock the door and hide in the back." Robin told her sternly.

She nodded and closed the door. He heard a lock and she was out of sight.

"What the hell is going on?" Nightstar asked.

"I don't know... but it seems you're going to have to wait to write that essay." Robin glanced at her.

Another explosion went off, this one was the loudest one. And this one was at the Gotham City power plant.

The city with hundreds of artificial lights went black.

* * *

**ARKHAM ASYLUM**   
**6:40 PM LOCAL TIME**

Showtime. Edward Nygma walked out of his cell. The other cells remained shut. The emergency lights had just turned on leaving the hallway to be a shade of red.

"Nygma-"

"Oh shush Jonathan I'm coming."

The Riddler rolled his eyes.

"Nygma! Back in your-", a guard screamed when he was tackled by Killer Croc.

He screamed as loud as he could as Croc bit down into his neck and tore it out. Blood scattered his teeth.

Croc slid over the kids and Nygma picked it up from the floor.

He unlocked Crane's cell.

"How did he-"

"Croc can be easily swayed- especially when you hand over some pudding for a month." The skinny man shrugged.

"Now let us get out of this dump shall we?" Edward Nygma smiled and gave him a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddler arrives at Arkham  
> Green hat: Gone  
> Intellect: High  
> Dick: Out  
> He forcibly removes himself from the premises
> 
> Lmaoo Um anyways I really enjoyed this chapter, it's one my favorites so I hope you liked it too.


	30. Issue #30

**ARKHAM ASYLUM, GOTHAM CITY**   
**6:56 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"How did you do all this?" Jonathan Crane jogged to keep up with Killer Croc and Edward Nygma.

"Jonathan do you know how hard it is to get enough money to _pay_ people to make bombs for you?" Nygma asked in an exasperated tone.

"No..."

"It's hard!" Nygma yelled.

They stopped at Harley's cell. She jumped and clapped. Her blonde hair was in a braid and she had a wide smile.

"Woah, Woah wait why are we taking her?" Crane grabbed Croc's large arm.

It was then he realized that Croc's arm was quite literally the size of his body.

"She knows the layout of the building," Nygma explained slowly.

Harley stuck out her tongue.

Croc ripped the cell door off the wall. Harley did a cartwheel our the cell and threw her hands in the air.

"Eddy!" She smiled.

"Hm."

"Who else is coming?" Crane bit at his nails.

"Just Ivy, Penguin, and Clayface... tried to convince Dent but he didn't seem interested."

"Let's go get Red!"

There were four sections of prisoners for Arkham Asylum.

Section one was for female none violent criminal offenders. Section two was for male none violent offenders.

Section three was for violent criminal offenders. Even then male and female offenders were taken out of their cells at separate times. There wasn't enough room in Arkham to separate them. Besides, there had not been any records of problems with the male and female inmates.

Arkham had gotten sixty-five thousand to build a separate section for the female inmates. That was six years ago and it had still yet to be built.

The third and final section of Arkham was for people with some type of power. Metahumans or not.

This was the heaviest guarded area.

"You said we were going to storage too... I want my umbrella."

Oswald Cobblepot was a short tubby man who always sneered. He didn't like people looking down at him but considering people had no other choice... people often just ended up avoiding eye contact with him.

"Yes, yes of course." Nygma waved him off.

"We won't be able to get there without Poison Ivy or Clayface you know this."

Cobblepot cursed under his breath.

"We're not bringing Joker?" Crane asked.

They all looked at him with blank stares.

"Yeah, you're right stupid question sorry." He apologized awkwardly.

In the back of the man's mind, he wondered if they would really escape or if the Bat would stop them like he's done so many times before.

On the opposite side of Gotham City Robin looked down to see a missing person poster. It was of a little girl smiling big, she had lost her front teeth.

It was blown away. There was an explosion again.

Superboy flew up into the sky and squinted.

"I think there was an explosion at a bank." He announced.

"Great..." Robin sighed.

Nightstar picked up Robin. She and Superboy flew towards the sight of the bank.

"Nightwing might be here," Robin said to her.

She furrowed her eyebrows he tried to figure out what was going on in her head.

They heard gunshots coming down the street. They landed and went inside the bank. There was a fire coming from the back.

"Superboy put out the fire," Robin instructed.

"How's he gonna..." Nightstars voice trailed off when she saw Superboy blow on the fire.

She blinked. The fire went out and Superboy let out a cough.

"I need water." His voice sounded parch.

Nightstar bit her lip and walked towards a large safe.

"I don't hear anyone inside. Why would they set off a bomb and not take the money?" She pulled at the vault door.

Nightstar walked towards a desk.

"This is strange they set it off in the bathroom right?" Robin asked Superboy.

Superboy flew towards the bathroom once more. He saw shards of metal near the toilet.

"I think they put it in the tank."

Nightstar was about to speak when she was kicked backward. She saw a blur of red. Her assailant seemed to be strong or at least fast because Nightstar was kicked back so hard that she went through a wall.

The air was knocked out of her lungs and she gasped. She opened her eyes wide to see a gun pointed at her chest.

A woman was standing over her with red hair. It was too vibrant of color to be natural. She was also incredibly pale skin it looked almost like a sheet of paper.

"Ya know I'm not in the mood to deal with people setting off bombs throughout the city."

Although the woman had a cowl cover her eyes Nightstar knew she was glaring.

"Batwoman!" She heard Robin yell.

Batwoman turned to look at the boy. Nightstar kicked the gun out of her hand and threw a star bolt at her chest.

Batwoman stumbled back and was about to throw something at her.

Superboy flew in front of Nightstar and threw up his arms.

A miniature batarang hit him in the eye and he flinched.

Nightstar was about to attack the older woman again but Superboy picked her up.

"She pointed a gun at me!" Nightstar yelled.

"They were blanks," Batwoman said blandly.

"Oh, that makes it _soo_ much better!" Nightstar yelled.

"Calm down!" Superboy yelled at both of them.

Nightstar began to curse in a foreign language.

"Who the hell is this?" Batwoman asked.

"I don't like it when people point guns at me." She whispered to Superboy.

"This is Nightstar... she's new..." Robin said awkwardly.

"Never heard of her."

"Hence her being new," Robin explained again.

Batwoman looked at Nightstar who glared at her back and stuck out her tongue.

"Be nice!" Superboy whispered back at her.

_"Robin!"_

Robin flinched at hearing Batman yell into his ear.

Had he not shut his channel off?

_"Where are you? In case you haven't_ **_noticed_ ** _the city is on fire."_

"I'm aware..."

He heard Batman grunt followed by a smashing noise.

_"You need to stop anyone from loitering. The bombs could also be near apartment buildings."_

"Alright..." he glanced at Superboy and Nightstar.

_"You should be he-"_

"Oh you're breaking up... tunnel..." he took out the earpiece from his ear and shut it off.

"We should split up," Robin said looking at both Nightstar and Superboy.

"Is... she coming?" Superboy asked pointing to Batwoman.

Batwoman said nothing and Superboy nodded awkwardly.

"Superboy and I will patrol and you and Batwoman will patrol downtown towards Ace Chemicals."

Nightstar gave him a look and Robin knew she was going to give him an earful later. He didn't much care right now though.

"Right Superboy let's go," Robin instructed.

Nightstar watched them both leave.

She cursed both of them in her mind.

"Kid, you can fly I assume?" Batwoman turned to look at her.

Obviously, Nightstar couldn't be more than fifteen maybe even fourteen. Batwoman didn't care how tall she was she had the face of a child.

"Um yes..."

"Good. Follow me."

She took out a grappling hook and fired it at a building.

Nightstar let out a breath and flew after her.

* * *

**ARKHAM ASYLUM, GOTHAM CITY**   
**7:35 PM LOCAL TIME**

Ivy had made a Venus flytrap swallow four guards. Nygma gestured for Killer Croc to break down the door.

The large reptile mumbled something under his breath and did as he was told.

The Riddler had told him months ago that he had a plan to escape. He had laughed at the time, thinking that the skinny man had lost his mind.

Bane had tried escaping a week prior and to say the least, he failed miserably.

Riddler didn't tell him his plan but he did explain that they both needed each other. Croc wasn't a brain everyone knew that. He was muscle... useful muscle.

The storage room was massive as well as dusty.

They all rushed inside to open boxes.

Harley found her jester costume and jumped excitedly. She ran behind some boxes to change.

Nygma grunted yo himself tearing apart boxes.

"Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?"

"Where's what?" Crane asked looking up from his Scarecrow mask.

"Ah, there it is!" Nygma smiled and took his cane from one of the boxes.

He spun it in his hands and smiled wide.

Crane put on his mask and breathed heavily.

The building shook once more. The light in the room flickered on and off.

"So what now? We blow our way out of here?" Penguin asked holding his umbrella in his small meaty hands.

"Ya know where most riots fail?" Riddler asked flipping on his hat.

"Who cares?" Harley with the help of Ivy put her hair and pigtails.

Riddler glared.

"Rude... as I was saying this is going to be a quiet whisper of a breakout. We're not going to scream like a riot."

"Now." He turned to Penguin and grabbed his cane more tightly.

"What are you-!"

Riddler began to hit him hard right with the question mark end.

Scarecrow flinched with each blow. Harley smiled wide thinking of a memory. Ivy and Croc kept a passive face.

Riddler stopped and wiped the sweat off his face. He fanned himself with his hat.

_"You little..."_

Penguin spits out some blood. Riddler leaned down.

"I thank you for your sacrifice."

Scarecrow couldn't tell if Riddler took the enjoyment out of it. Granted he didn't like Penguin either.

"What was that for?" Scarecrow asked.

"Jonathan please hand me the landline." Riddler wiped the blood from his cane.

Scarecrow handed him the phone and he dialed a number. He handed it to Clayface.

"Send guards down to the storage area and a medic! Penguins been beaten half to death." He mimicked in a scared tone.

He hung up the phone.

The villains stared in confusion.

"I call this part two of my plan!"Riddler's cheery voice rang out.

"To call the cops?!" Ivy yelled ready to strangle him.

Green hands reached for his neck but he dodged them.

"Don't get blood on the uniforms we're gonna need them. Now shut up and hide."

A few moments passed and the guard came running in. They pointed their guns at several areas.

Dr. Anne Carver leaned down to look at the beaten man.

"How did he even get out of his cell?" Aaron Cash asked looking at the opened boxes.

Anne Craver checked for his heartbeat. She looked at the disguised Clayface.

Anne Craver was a good doctor and overall a sweet woman. So good, people would ask why she would even bother working at Arkham Asylum.

She felt Aaron leaning over her shoulder.

" **Mr.** Cash I can't help him if you're gawking."

He laughed and threw up his hands in defense.

Suddenly Aaron felt himself being hoisted up. Aaron yelled at seeing Croc.

The other guards felt themselves be tackled or attacked.

Anne felt someone push against her chest. The woman was struggling to breathe and she clawed.

Clayface revealed himself and smiled.

"What's up doc?" He asked transforming into her.

Black skin, curly hair, and her signature glasses.

And then it was times like these where Anne Carver found herself wondering before she was knocked out.

_Who the hell would work in Arkham Asylum?_


	31. Issue #31

**GOTHAM CITY**   
**7:56 PM LOCAL TIME**

"Was it a good idea to leave Nightstar alone with Batwoman?" Superboy asked.

"Nightstar has to learn to deal with people she doesn't like," Robin answered watching Superboy blow out a fire.

"She works with you." Superboy shrugged with a small smirk on his face.

"That's hilarious Super..."

An ambulance went rushing by. Robin watched it thinking for a few moments.

"You okay?" Superboy asked flicking Robin's forehead.

Robin pulled something out of his utility belt.

"Oracle?"

_"Yes?"_

"How many ambulances have been called out tonight?"

"What are you-"

Robin held a finger up to Superboy's mouth. Superboy rolled his eyes.

_"There have been only two that's been called. One across the city for a hit and run and one at Arkham."_

"Arkham?" Superboy mouthed confused.

"Why was there an ambulance sent to Arkham?"

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

_"Apparently Penguin was attacked."_

"Okay..."

_"Is that-"_

He hung up.

"What?"

"I don't know... something feels..."

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" A woman screamed rushing over to them. Her head was bleeding and one of her high heels was broken.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

The woman collapsed into Superboys arms and she slapped his chest.

"There are people stuck under a building and-and you have to..." she began to breathe heavily.

"I'll call an ambulance," Robin said.

Superboy nodded and flew off.

He looked for the ambulance that drove past earlier but it had already driven far off into the night.

MEANWHILE  


Nightstar looked at the rubble of the building. She had never seen a blown-up building like this.

"I don't see any people," Nightstar said aloud.

"Check there," Batwoman instructed.

She pointed to a large piece of debris. Nightstar nodded.

She picked it up with ease and tossed it. Batwoman watched. Nightstar couldn't tell what her facial expression due to the cowl.

"Maybe whoever did this wasn't trying to kill anyone. Injury maybe but not kill?"

"For a distraction maybe." Batwoman looked

"Distraction from what?"

"I don't know..."

"Aren't you a detective?" Nightstar asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah detective... not God I'm not omniscient."

_I don't know what that means_

Nightstar didn't want to say that though. She saw a man walk from the alleyway. His hands were in his pockets.

"Sir!" Nightstar flew over towards him.

The man stopped walking and turned around slowly. He seemed taken aback by the sight of the half-alien.

"Are you alright? There was an explosion right down the street."

The man looked at the rubble behind her.

"Oh my. That's a big explosion I can't believe it."

She was silent and looked the man up and down.

"Here let me walk you home."

"That's not necessary."

"I insist."

He clenched his jaw and let out a ragged breath.

"Screw it."

She felt a soft wet texture against her neck. Again. Nightstar was thrown. She didn't go through a wall but she was thrown _against_ a car.

She was going to bruise she could feel it.

The man transformed into a creature she had never seen before... on this world or on Tamaran.

He was nine feet tall. Huge arms and a huge square head.

Nightstar got up and fired a barrage of orange star bolts. Batwoman began to fire her gun.

"Who is this?!"

"Clayface."

So that's what he was made of. Clay.

"Superboy." She pulled a small black communicator from her pocket.

Robin had been working on them for about a week. These were prototypes, they basically were walkie-talkies.

 _"Hey, buddy what's up?"_ Superboy asked hastily

"I need some help..."

 _"We're busy at the moment!"_ Robin yelled.

"With what?"

Killer Croc to be exact.

Superboy tried to punch the large crocodile in the stomach but his fist was grabbed. Robin jumped on the villain's back.

**"I hate children."**

Killer Croc grabbed Robin's cape and threw him at Superboy. They both fell backward.

"Croc. How did you get out of Arkham?" Robin demanded.

"Yeah, you don't seem to smart enough to escape on your own." Superboy continued.

Killer Croc let out a roar and charged both of them again.

Superboy dodged him but there was a scratch on his costume.

"Superboy give me a lift," Robin instructed.

Superboy picked him up.

"Ready?" He asked the smaller boy.

"Yes!"

Superboy threw him. Robin took out a batarang. Croc tried to grab him but Robin dodged his grasp.

Robin stabbed Croc in the eye. Croc screamed. Superboy grabbed his arms and twisted them behind his back.

**"GET OFF!"**

"Not a chance."

After a few more seconds Croc fell backward.

Superboy and Robin remained silent.

"Oh God... did you kill him?" Superboy slapped Robin's shoulder.

"Don't be ridiculous. I read somewhere that if you stab a crocodile in the eye it will paralyze them."

"I think if you stab _anything_ in the eye it will paralyze them." Superboy snorted.

"Nightstar do you still need help?" Robin asked pulling out the small communicator.

_"Did you know that if clay is heated too quickly, it explodes?"_

Robin and Superboy looked at each other.

They heard Batwoman yelling something in the background.

"Are you okay?" Superboy asked.

_"Uhhhh yep. Batwoman said she doesn't think any more bombs are gonna go off."_

"She's right. These bombs weren't meant to kill anyone. We've been baited." Robin kicked Killer Croc in the stomach.

"Baited?"Superboy watched as Robin handcuffed Killer Croc's hands behind his back.

"Yeah... Croc and Clayface were at Arkham. They must have used the bombs as some kind of distraction. Batman wasn't going to even _think_ of Arkham when several bombs are going off across the city."

_"Huh... that's kinda smart."_

"Yes, it is..."

He needed to figure out the inmates that escaped. But... Superboy and Nightstar didn't need to be here for that. They had gone on two missions back to back... no sleep.

"Go back to Smallville."

"Are you sure?"

"It's been a long night."

Superboy looked like he wanted to object but he yawned.

"Jon go home."

Robin got out his grapple gun and swung away.

"Nightstar you should go home before your father realizes your out."

_"Okay... are you alright? Do you need help with anything?"_

"No, just go home."

_"Alright... Goodnight."_

"Goodnight."

* * *

**WAYNE MANOR**   
**8:32 PM LOCAL TIME**

He walked through the front door. His costume was in a duffle bag. He went to one of his father's Safe Houses and took his motor-bike home.

Helena held an ice pack to Selina's eye. Selina tried holding it on her own but Helena slapped her hand.

"What happened to you?" Damian asked looking at Selina.

She had a busted lip and a black eye.

"Had a reunion with Quinn and Ivy."

"If I was there you would have been saved, Mama."

Helena did a karate chop. Selina flicked her on the nose. Helena frowned.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Damian asked.

"Yes, she _should_." Selina gave Helena a look.

Helena mumbled something under her breath and stomped to her room.

"You know father wants her to be Batgirl? Ever since Cassandra went on to be _Black Bat_ we haven't had a Batgirl."

"Yeah and we're gonna keep it that way." Selina stretched.

"Where's Ace?" Damian asked looking for the German Shepard.

Selina pointed to the floor.

Damian knew that meant that he was in the bat-cave with his father.

"I wouldn't go down there by the way... he's in a bad mood." Selina got up and ruffled his hair.

"Goodnight Damian."

"Yeah... night..."

Damian walked to his father's office. He opened the longcase clock. He pulled one of the weights. He stepped back and the clock slid to the side.

Damian ducked and walked inside. The clock slid closed once again.

He walked down the stairs of the cave. His hand lingered against the wet dark walls. He heard a bat shriek in this distance.

When he reached the last step he saw his father sitting in front of the computer.

Ace was sitting next to him. His tail was wagging slightly. Ace whined and placed his head on Bruce's lap.

Bruce patted his head.

"I should have figured it out... I should have known better Ace."

Ace whined and licked his hand.

Bruce let out a small laugh.

"Still... I should have known..."

Damian blinked before retreating back up the stairs.


	32. Issue #32

**SMALVILLE, KANSAS**   
**7:30 AM LOCAL TIME**

Jon put on his glasses and slugged down the stairs. Martha Kent was reading the paper.

His grandma looked up.

"You look exhausted? What time did you go to bed?"

Around 3-am.

He couldn't sleep. He spent half the night looking at his ceiling. He thought of flying around to tire himself out but he just stayed up all night.

"I put some money on top of the fridge for you. Order a pizza or something."

"Why aren't you cooking tonight?" Jon poured himself some _Lucky Charms._

His grandma stopped and turned around. He stared back as he poured milk.

"I have my 'People's Choice Wings Competition'. I'm going to Kansas City tonight with Laura Lang!"

Jon chewed his cereal slowly and swallowed. "Does that mean I can have friends over."

"Just don't have half the town in here. I just planted new Daisy's, I don't want them being smashed. Now,"

"Eat your cereal. I'll drive you to school today."

As they drove Jon texted Damian asking if he and Mar'i wanted to hang out tonight.

If he was being honest. He needed something to take his mind from yesterday. Not only had he **NOT** stopped a man from dying, but he also had to fight a giant crocodile.

Jon suddenly jolted forward. His glasses fell on the dashboard and he quickly put them back on. He heard his grandma curse.

"Driving like a bat out of hell." She watched him park in a student parking.

Michael Bradford got out of his car. Jon watched him.

He was the quarterback of the football team, he was also on the baseball team. Dark skin and a bright smile. Jon used to play with him as a kid.

Well, Jon used to play with everyone as a kid. Now he didn't talk to anyone.

"I know his grandpa I'm gonna have a-"

"Okay bye have fun at your wing thing!" Jon yelled shutting the door of the red pickup truck.

Martha Kent rolled her eyes and drove off.

Jon kept his head down. He felt someone bump into him.

"Oh sorry-!"

"Hey, it true that your grandma gonna be gone for the weekend?" Michael Bradford had his hands in his varsity jacket.

Jon blinked. Where did he come from?

"Um yeah. She's got some food competition thing in Kansas City."

"Oh cool... so no ones gonna be home then?" Jon could see the gears turning in Michael's head.

"Um just me and my dog... and oh wait no, no, no."

Michael then preceded to shove him playfully.

"Cool party then!"

"Wait no!"

Michael ran off. Jon stood there perplexed for a moment. The bell rang and people rushed inside including a reluctant Jon.

As the day went on things starting getting a little weird. For instance, people were giving him thumbs up and knowing looks.

To escape he did his homework on the bleachers. He clicked his pen several times. He sucked at math.

Jon huffed and got out his calculator.

"Okay so 'X' equals this axis."

"Hey! Kent!"

Jon looked up.

Lucy and Mini Ross. Their dad, Pete Ross ran _Ross's Diner_ , good hot dogs, pretty greasy French fries though.

The twins jogged you to him. Lucy was always described as the "pretty one" Jon thought that was rude. Neither of the girls was ugly at all. But Mini was always described as "easy" which Jon didn't believe because he learned that from Luke Mason... he had a reputation of being a liar. And yet everyone believed him about Mini.

Even if she was easy... it wasn't Jon's business or anyone else's.

"Um hey, guys what's up?"

Lucy smiled. "Um, we heard there was gonna be a party at your house?"

Jon rolled his eyes. "Look there is **NO** party! Do you guys get that?"

"Really?" Mini pouted.

"Yes! **NO! PARTY!"**

Lucy and Mini looked at each other and then back to him.

"Ohhhhh... okay... we got it... no party..." Lucy nodded with a wink.

"Yes... no party..." Jon uttered bewildered.

"Right... no party..." Mini repeated.

"Guys this isn't funny there really _isn't_ a party."

"Of course!" The twins smiled.

"Okay so, you understand what I am telling you?"

"Yes!" The twins nodded.

"Okay... good..."

"So we **won't** see you tonight then?" Mini tapped her chin.

"No, you will **not**."

Both girls looked at each other then back to Jon. They smiled again. They ran off.

"Okay... they'll spread that around then. Now no one should get the wrong idea."

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

 _Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Mar'i isn't busy tonight and I don't really feel like going on patrol tonight. so yeah we'll come over.

_Cool! ... we can watch Star Wars!!!!!!_

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Absolutely not. We watch Star Wars every time.

_But Mar hasn't seen Star Wars :((((_

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Don't call her that.

_Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar._

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
Im telling Mar'i.  
  
  


_Wait dont!!!!!!_   
_I'm sorry...._   
_:((((_   
_:'(_   
_You guys can come over at 4_

_Bird Boy_ 🐥 _(Damian)_  
K.

Jon, unlike most teenagers, didn't hate the bus. He sat at the front of the bus. He got off faster instead of having to walk all the way to the front of the bus just to get off. Someone threw a popcorn kernel and it hit him in the back of the neck. He turned around. A girl whistled and looked away.

As people got on the bus people nodded at him. Which was weird... no one usually nodded at him... he shook his head and chose to ignore it.

As the bus drove along the beat-up Smallville roads, the but got louder and louder. He was always taught not to eavesdrop on people. Even though he could he from twenty miles away, it wasn't right. Sometimes though he couldn't help himself. He let himself drift into people's conversations.

"The Flash is better than Superman."

"You're a fucking idiot!"

_Boring. Next._

"Is it supposed to be that color?"

"Um, I don't think so?"

"Oh damn..."

_Gross. Next._

"Meeting tonight? Yes. Yes, I understand. No, no one has-"

"Alright Kent get off!" The bus driver yelled at him.

Jon jumped and turned around trying to look for the source of the voice.

"Kent move it!" The bus driver yelled again.

"Right, yeah sorry... I just thought-"

"Don't care. Get off."

"Okay." He ran off the bus and up the long driveway.

When he opened the door he was surprised to see his grandma still there.

"Um, should you be making chicken wings in Kansas City?" He asked throwing his book bag on the table.

"Don't throw your bookbag I told you how much I hate that." She scolded hitting him on the head with a wooden spoon.

"Geez my bad..." he picked the book bag up and placed it _gently_.

"But shouldn't you be gone right now? Or are you cooking the food here?" He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Don't be ridiculous you can't make the sauce the day before for wings." Martha Kent drained a bunch of zenna pasta.

"Oh, can I have-"

His hang was slapped with the wooden spoon.

"This is for Laura and me on the drive there."

"Pasta isn't really a snack..."

"You know I don't like chips."

She tasted her sauce and nodded.

"I'm good." She whispered to herself.

"Um so..."

She turned around.

"I'm gonna have two friends over tonight... I just wanted you to know."

"Oh okay, Damian, and who else?"

Martha Kent poured the pasta into the sauce. A single piece of zeeni fell on the floor before she could clean it

"You don't know that I invited Damian!" Jon protested.

"Sure honey."

Jon rolled his eyes.

The doorbell rang. Jon jumped and ran to open the door.

Mary and Damian looked at him. He frowned looking at their clothes.

Damian wore a sleek black sweater and green and black flannel pants. Mary wore a short white dress with long sleeves. He wore black sunglasses. On the dress, there were small purple and blue flowers and a few green vines. Her curly hair was tied back with a few pink hairstyles.

They both were dressed... very nice to say the least.

And he was wearing old jeans and a _Thundercats_ t-shirt he got from the Good Will.

"You guys know we're not going anywhere right?"

"Yes, why?" Damian asked.

Jon stayed silent. He looked to see Damian's car parked in the driveway.

"You guys drove here?"

They walked inside.

"No, I flew his car so it wouldn't look suspicious."

"Which is ridiculous..."

"Oh!"

They all turned to see Martha Kent entering with her suitcase.

"Um, you know Damian..."

Damian waved. Martha waved back.

"This is-"

"Hi I'm Mary Grayson, it's lovely to meet you." Mary stuck out her hand and shook the old woman's hand.

"Um yes, nice to meet you as well. Jon, can you help me with something?"

"Yeah sure."

They both left the kitchen.

"She seems nice," Martha said slowly.

"Yeah, she is."

She stared at him. He stared back.

"I'm not sure I'm okay with you having a girl here."

Jon thought for a moment before his eyes widened and he shook his head. "It's not like that really."

There was honking out front. Martha sighed.

"You better be respectful she's a young lady." Martha brought Jon's forehead down and kissed him.

They went back into the kitchen.

"Do you need help with your bags?" Mary asked politely.

 _"Kiss ass,"_ Damian whispered to her.

Mary elbowed him in the stomach. He elbowed her back.

Martha either didn't hear or didn't care.

"No dear thank you. You all have a nice night."

Martha grabbed the enclosed container of pasta and her suitcase and went out the door.

"So... Star Wars?" Jon clapped.

"Oh well, I'm sure the movie rental- you have all the trilogies on DVD don't you?" Damian panned.

"The original trilogy on VHS! And are you wearing your utility belt?"

"What am I gonna do? **Not** wear it?"

Jon shook his head.

Mary has a confused look on her face, her lips slightly puckered.

"You're gonna love it I promise," Jon reassured.

He used his super-speed and ran up to the attic.

Mary and Damian sat on the couch.

"Whats Star Wars about?" She asked.

Damian sighed. "I don't know where to begin."

"I've seen that other space movie... is this similar?"

 _"Star Trek sucks!"_ Jon yelled.

"Oh yeah, I think it was Star Trek? I thought the main guy was cute."

"Even worse you watched the reboot ones. Okay, so we're gonna go in order of the timeline so we're starting with The Phantom Menace."

His dad got the prequels when he was a kid. They were still in weirdly good condition.

"Doesn't everyone hate the first one?" Damian said already knowing Jon's response.

"It's all Jar Jar's fault other than that it's a good movie."

There was a bang on the front door.

"You have people coming over beside us?" Damian asked alarmed.

Jon wasn't sure if it was because Damian didn't want other people here or if it was because he was just alarmed that Jon had friends outside of him.

"Oh... no, no, no, no!" Jon ran towards the door, (subconsciously making sure his glasses were still on).

When he opened the door he saw Mini and Lucy. They wore short dresses and both girls had their hair tied back in high ponytails.

Almost sixty people were in his front yard.

"Hey, Jon! Beer?"

"Lucy, Mini I told you there was gonna be no party!"

"We thought you were joking." Mini held up a brown bottle.

"Why the heck did you think that?!" Jon yelled.

"Well because you were so forward about it... we thought you just wanted us to keep it a secret."

Michael moved to the front of the crowd of teenagers.

"Sorry dude. This is happening. We haven't had a house party in a really long time... you gotta just let it happen." Michael put his hand on Jon's shoulder.

"This is not happ-"

People pushed past him. He almost fell to the ground and was walked over but he crawled away.

Music began to play so loud it shook the house.

He saw Krypto raise his head and run upstairs. He assumed to go hide under Jon's bed.

He bumped into people.

This is bad. This is not allowed...

Not only is it **NOT** allowed. Jon didn't even know some of these people. Well, that wasn't technically true. He knew everyone here in passing but he didn't really know them.

Jon tried calling Damian but he wasn't answering.

"Beer?" Someone asked.

"No." He responded grabbing the cup and throwing the liquid out the window.

"Rude man."

Jon glared and left the kitchen and began to look for Mary. If he was lucky Damian had gone into the shadows like he always did in social situations.

Jon saw her hair and walked towards the couch.

"So where are you from?" A redhead boy asked her.

"Blüdhaven," Mary replied.

"No like where are you really from? You got a funny accent." The boy laughed.

_Little pot calling the kettle black._

"Mary! Hi. I'm borrowing her from you." Jon took Mary by the hand.

She got up quickly and followed him.

"Where are we going?" She asked over his shoulder.

"Uh... upstairs..."

"Okay." Mary shrugged.

 _"Get some Kent!"_ Someone yelled.

A girl gave Mary a thumbs up.

"What are we getting?" She asked.

Jon blushes and shook his head. They got to his door. He silently prayed that people wouldn't be in his bed doing something unseemly.

God must have heard it because the only thing he saw was Krypto on his bed licking his paw.

"Oh, who's this?" Mary asked slowly walking towards the dog.

Krypto stood up and smelled Mary's hand. Krypto shook his head and inches away from her. She stopped and frowned.

"He might smell your cat," Jon said.

"Oh honey Jin's not here I'm not gonna do anything mean I promise." Mary tried petting him but Krypto turned from her.

The dog jumped off the bed. Mary sighed and sat down on his bed.

"You have a lot of friends." She commented.

"These people are not my friends," Jon assured her.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to assure of this.

_No, Mary, these people aren't my friends! I have no friends believe me!_

"Then why are they here?" Mary asked patting the bed.

Jon sat next to her. "Probably cause they want to drink somewhere that isn't a cornfield. Really I don't like any of these people."

"Hmm so who do you talk to in school. I have people who only know me as Mary and not Mar'i."

Krypto put his head on Jon's thigh. Jon scratched behind the dog's ear.

"I don't talk to anyone."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry it's okay."

"May I ask you something?"

Jon nodded at her. She gathered her thoughts for a moment and asked;

"I'd you don't have any friends here, and you don't like school here, or the people here at all. Why do you not want to move to Metropolis?"

He opened his mouth to respond and the door burst open. Damian had lost his sunglasses and there was a damp spot on his shirt.

"You smell awful," Jon commented boldly.

"I smell like beer and sexual repression." Damian went to Jon's closet looking for a shirt.

"None of these people are Jonny's friends apparently." Mary tried petting Krypto but again he backed away.

"Oh, I can believe that. These people are animals." Damian looked at Mary.

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

Damian cursed in a language Jon assumed was Arabic .

"Perhaps we should leave?" Mary asked more Damian than Jon.

"Please don't leave me with these people," Jon begged to grab her by the shoulders.

"I could be at home and yet I'm here in the-"

"Shhh!" Jon shushed Damian.

Damian turned around insulted. "Don't shush me!"

"I think the police are here." Jon looked out the window

He couldn't see the police car but he could hear it a little over two miles away.

"That's not good..." Mary commented.

Jon ran out of his room and down the stairs.

"Nice shirt." Mary laughed.

Damian looked down at his Batman shirt and then back at her.

"Don't start!" He yelled.

They both followed Jon down the stairs.

* * *

**KENT FAMILY FARM**   
**5:20 PM LOCAL TIME**

Damian and Mary stood a foot away and watched as Jon talk to the officer.

"Hello. There seems to be commotion come from the premises." The officer said.

"W-what makes you say that?" Jon asked nervously.

**"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"**

The officer tilted his head to the side and looked Jon up and down.

"Are you Unity?" The Officer suddenly asked confused.

Mary watched carefully. Damian just seemed bored.

"Oh, I don't really follow any religion my grandma believes in Jesus and all that and-!"

The officer pulled out a gun. Jon yelled and held up his hands. Damian grabbed Mary's arm tightly and pulled her behind of him.

"Unity. Unity. Unity."

"This is not the way to convert people to your religion sir!" Jon's brain began to run wild.

He could know the cop-out to dismantle him. No, he should just stay still...

Suddenly a ball of fire went past Jon's head and hit the officer in the arm. He screamed and fell backward.

"Mary!" Jon yelled.

Mary ignored him and rushed to the officer.

The officer stayed still for a moment and something shot out of his mouth. A purple tentacle shot out of the police officer's mouth. She caught it and pulled at it. She cursed in Tamaranian and let her hands be completely inflamed. There was screeching that didn't come from the police officer. An inhuman screeching.

The officer remained still.

The teenagers were quiet for a moment. Hearing an owl hooting in the distance as well as that loud obnoxious music from the house.

"This is bad. If there's one there could be hundreds more. Perhaps it's a small invasion then... okay, okay what did Uncle say-"

"Um excuse me Mar'i... hi, yes. What the hell was that?!" Jon asked loudly.

"Is he... dead..." Damian kicked the officer in the arm.

"No... he's knocked out... actually, he's uh what's the word for when you're basically brain dead?"

 **"YOU PUT HIM A COMA?!"** Jon screamed collapsing to the ground.

He shook the cop.

"Yeah, I'm sure that'll help Jon," Damian commented watching.

Mar'i held the tentacle in her hand. She sniffed it. She thinks of a memory before shaking her head.

"Do you know what this means? Do you know what Unity is!"

Both boys stayed silent.

"I'll explain it simply. If we don't find the mother ship and destroy it. This entire town will be infected with these." She held up the tentacle.

Damian and Jon were silent.

Damian whispered to Jon; "Guess that means no Star Wars huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unity is a villain from Superman: The Animated Series by the way!
> 
> The episode (if you're interested in watching it) is season 3 episode 10. Also just watch S:TAS because it's good ... and I like it..


	33. Issue #33

**KENT FAMILY FARM**   
**5:36 PM LOCAL TIME**

The pigs chewed their food and watched as Mar'i carried the police car. Damian dragged the officer by his legs. Jon did nothing but he was complaining like he was doing _everything_.

"Open the barn," Damian instructed.

"We can't put a knocked-out cop in-"

"Jon just open the damn barn!" Damian yelled.

Jon cursed under his breath and opened barn.

Damian's wars filled with the sound of cows mooing.

"Guess it's a good thing the cows are in here and not the pigs..." Damian placed the officer on a large pile of hay.

"Why?" Mar'i asked placing the car down gently.

"Well, the pigs would probably eat him."

"No, they wouldn't don't talk bad about my pigs."

"It's a fact of nature Kent. Pigs eat people. So would most animals given enough time." Damian pet one of the cows on her head.

"Knock it off!"

"It's important that we keep everyone in the house. We should just assume that everyone here is normal." Mar'i began.

"The guy said Unity... um, what's that..." Jon fed the cows some hay to get them to move away from Damian.

"I heard stories about them when I was a child. Apparently, they came to Tamaran years before my birth."

"Well, what did your people do when they came?" Damian asked.

Mar'i paused trying to remember the story right.

"Well, they had possessed only two people at that point so I think we just killed those they possessed, and then they fled."

Damian and Jon stared at her.

"Considering you two don't like killing I suppose we need a different strategy."

"Taking them out physically won't work. Unless we want half the people in Kansas to be in a coma." Jon sighed sitting on the dirt ground.

"Half the people in Kansas... so what 6 people?"

"Do not start." Jon pokes Damian in the chest.

"We need to keep the people at the party quarantined inside the house. If we're lucky no one there is a apart of Unity." Mar'i watched as Krypto walked into the farmhouse.

"I don't think that should be too hard," Damian explained.

You could hear the music all the way at the farmhouse.

"Krypto make sure no one leaves the house." Jon patted the dog on the head.

Krypto made a nodding motion and licked Jon's hand. He ran off in a white blur.

"You said we have to find the mother ship?" Damian turned to look at Mar'i.

As much as he hated to admit it (and he wasn't going to admit it **out loud** ), Mar'i was the leader on this.

"Unity would be hiding somewhere most people couldn't get access to. Then Unity would grow bigger and bigger gaining more followers. The more people Unity attracts the bigger it becomes."

"Okay, so what's a place Unity could hide but also where it could attract a bunch of people?" Damian looked at Jon.

The boy thought for a moment. There weren't lots of places in Smallville where something like that could hide. The high school? No, there was no basement or anything like that. Maybe the local swimming pool?

Jon snapped his fingers.

"The local church!"

"Why there?" Mar'i asked.

"My grandma told me it had been closed for the last two weeks. Apparently because of construction but I never heard anything like that as I walk by."

Mar'i nodded and Damian looked at the police officer.

"He's knocked out for good right?" Damian looked back at Mar'i.

She shrugged.

"Well, that's reassuring." Damian looked to see a rope hanging from a pig stye.

He tied the cop and stuffed hay into his mouth. He propped him up.

"Why did you stuff his mouth-"

"So if he wakes up he can't scream for help." Damian rolled his eyes.

 _Of course, how could I have been so naive?_ Jon thought sarcastically.

The trio walked away from the farmhouse. The music still blared from the Kent house.

Jon picked Damian up and both Mar'i and he flew to the sky.

Officer Andrew Kimmel's eyes shot open. He tasted the dried hay all the way to the back of his throat.

_Unity. Unity. Unity. Unity._

_You are nothing. You are everything._

_You are Unity._

Before he could even try and get up the door slid open.

Two teenagers came fumbling inside. The girl was pulling at the boy's belt and he was kissing down her neck.

Mini Ross and Michael Bradford both screamed when they saw the officer.

"What the hell!" Michael yelled.

"Should... should we maybe untie him?" Mini asked fidgeting.

"Yeah... um, you do it." Michael pushed her forwards.

"What?! No! You're the guy!" Mini tried pushing Michael forward but he wouldn't budge.

"That's sexist Mini." Michael shook his head.

"You're an ass! Untie him, Bradford!"

"Fine..." he looked at the officer and whispered something in Mini's ear.

"Yes if you untie him we can do _that_."

Michael cheered.

"Hey who tied you up like this?" Michael asked beginning to work at the knot.

He finally spits the hay out.

Mini stared at her phone. A text popped up from her sister. She was typing out her response when she felt Michael's hand on her shoulder.

"What?"

She looked up and swallowed.

"Michael?"

A hand wrapped around her throat and she screamed.

* * *

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**   
**6:25 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"Is that your high school?" Mar'i asked as they landed.

"Yeah..." Jon said sheepishly.

"Wow, I bet your school has working water fountains," Mar'i said shaking her head.

Jon and Damian blinked confused.

"Does your school not have a running water fountain?" Damian pondered.

That was illegal, wasn't it?

"Wouldn't you like to know rich boy?" Mar'i mocked.

"After this is done you and I are gonna have a talk." Damian shook his head.

"Shh," Jon said to both of them.

He slowly opened the door to the church.

It was the only church in Smallville there was a synagogue a few miles out. It also happened to be the biggest building in Smallville.

Jon knew something was off when the lights were off. Only candles were lit in the large cathedral.

"Hello?" A voice called out.

Mar'i began to quickly put back on her hologram.

"Uh hello... father..." Jon coughed out.

Mary and Damian fumbled around behind him trying to not look out of place.

 _"Father?"_ Mary mouthed to Damian.

Damian shook his head.

"How may I help you? It's awfully late."

"Uh... we were just-"

There was a loud croaking beneath the floors. They all glanced down.

"Pipes." The priest laughed.

The trio stayed silent.

"Mr. Kent it is awfully late I'm sure you would want to go back to that party of yours."

"How do you know about that?" Jon asked.

There was another croaking beneath them and the building began to shake.

"Hm... not quite yet finished yet this will due." The preacher smiled.

Damian threw a batarang at the preacher. It hit the preacher in the eye.

"Oh, God!" Jon yelled.

Was he allowed to say that in a church? How many hail Mary's would that be?

"Give up the fight my children."

The ground gave way from under them. Damian climbed up a red curtain as Mary and Jon levitated.

A purple creature with large tentacles rose from the ground. Several pairs of glowing white eyes stared at the sky. It let out a scream that made Damian's ears tingle. Pipes broke from the ground and the preacher grabbed Unity and held on as it took to the sky.

"Forces mightier than you three couldn't stop us!"

"Ya know this is making me want to go to church less and less." Mary took off her amulet and put it in her pocket.

"Believe it or not this happens every Sunday." Jon grabbed Damian and flew up to the open ceiling.

Mar'i followed.

They looked down to see everyone from Jon's party and most of the town. Krypto flew up to the Rebels and barked.

"We told you to keep everyone in the house!" Jon yelled.

Krypto barked and whined.

Jon sighed and patted Krypto on the head.

"If we hit one of them the others feel it. But if we destroy Unity they'll all be free!"

A tentacle wrapped around her leg and she shrieked. Her hands burned the appendage. The creature threw her on the ground. Her vision blurred.

She looked at her white dress. Dirt and a little bit of blood tainted the bleached fabric.

"My dad bought me this." She glared.

A hang was about to grab her but Krypto bites the hand.

Mar'i stood up to see that they were surrounded. Krypto barked at her and gestured to Unity. She looked.

Jon was punching the creature in the eye while Damian ran along its legs jumping and throwing small bombs.

"Good puppy." Mar'i patted Krypto on the head and flew off.

"I have an idea!" Jon yelled to them.

"What?" Damian yelled back dodging a blow.

"Force everything you got into its head. Everything you've got. They're all connected, they all work as one brain. So-"

"Make the brain explode?" Damian raised a brow.

"Yeah... they do it in zombies shows!"

"That could work.... let's do it!" Mar'i yelled.

Mar'i let her hands grow orange, Jon let his eyes grow red and Damian reached and grabbed all of the smoke bombs that he kept in his utility belt.

Even though it was unspoken they all fired. A barrage of black and orange and red. Smoke filled Damian's eyes and water sprinkled out of his eyes.

They heard the screams from the citizens of Smallville but they kept firing.

And then, silence.

The smoke cleared and Unity fell to the ground. As did the citizens of Smallville.

Jon frowned. Mar'i looked at him.

"What?"

"I don't know I just thought there would be a big explo-!"

Unity exploded. Green goo shot out at them covering them from head to toe.

Damian yelled out a barrage of curse words. Jon spit and took off his glasses.

Krypto flew up to them and licked Mar'is leg.

"Gross," Jon said shaking his head.

"I'll accept this love." Mar'i smiled with green teeth.

"This was not as cool as Star Wars I'm just gonna say it." Jon looked at Damian.

Damian let out a deep breath and looked at Jon.

"Hey, Jon?"

"Yeah."

"You know what we haven't done in a while?"

Jon shrugged.

"Hug. Jon give me a hug."

Jon's eyes widened and he dodged Damian's arms.

"Come here Kent!"

"Damian Wayne you stay away from me!" Jon yelled dodging his arms.

"No! Come here!"

"Mar'i help me!" Jon yelled dodging the other boy.

"Nah." Mar'i shook her head and played with Krypto.

"Is this better than Star Wars Kent? **Is it?!** "

Krypto barked and wagged his tail watching the three of them happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want you all to know that Every Time I wrote the word "tentacle" I wanted to kill myself.


	34. Issue #34

**LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, BLÜDHAVEN**   
**12:25 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"I think Wonder Woman is hotter than Black Canary," Charlie said with a mouthful of _Cheetos_.

"Safe choice." Billy Jean shook her head.

"What if Black Canary blows my eardrums out. At least Wonder Woman can't do that!"

Mary sat silent listening to their conversation. Colin was blaring his music so loud Mary could hear it.

Billy Jean shook her head again. "Everyone thinks Wonder Woman's hot! She's Wonder Woman you idiot"

"Colin pick a female superhero to have a one-night stand with." Charlie threw a _Cheeto_ at the redhead's cheek.

Colin closed his eyes for a moment before aggressively pulling out his earbuds.

"This is degrading." Colin opened his milk carton and drank it.

"Why? They're not here." Charlie looked around the schoolyard to prove that Wonder Woman was indeed not present.

"Yeah and besides it's not just a one-night stand. I would treat Black Canary right. Make her dinner. Heal her injuries. I just want to be her girlfriend," Billy Jean sighed wistfully.

Charlie blinked for a moment before looking at Colin.

"I just think Wonder Woman has nice legs but to is their own I guess."

Colin was about to speak before Nell Little ran to their lunch table, visibly upset.

"Nell are you alright?" Mary asked.

"Cathy Bellucci is the most selfish person in the world!" Nell put her face in her arms.

"What'd she do?" Colin asked gratefully the conversation had changed.

"She broke her ankle!" Nell cried.

The table was silent, staring at Nell with bewilderment.

Billy Jean was the first one to speak. "That thoughtless whore!"

"I know!" Nell cried out.

Billy Jean rolled her eyes and looked at her phone.

"Wait Cathy hurt her ankle? How?" Charlie blinked.

It was like he just finally got what was going on.

"She got hit by a car, or like her dad was baking up and he rolled over her ankle or something like that." Nell sighed taking a tater tot from Mary's plate.

Mary's mouth dropped and she covered her mouth.

"Is she okay?" Mary asked her voice full of fear.

Charlie and Colin had wide eyes while Billy Jean was still staring at her phone.

"I don't know Mary! Who cares! People get hit by cars every day!" Nell yelled.

"Wow." Billy Jean snorted.

"Jeez, Little try and be a little compassionate." Colin huffed.

"Wait if Cathy is hurt then who's taking her place on the cheer team?"

"You two are insane." Billy Jean scoffed.

"Oh, Billy Jean why don't you join the cheer team?" Mary asked touched the girl's arm.

Colin and Charlie looked at each other before bursting out laughing. Nell stifled a smile.

"What's so funny?" Billy Jean asked slamming her fist on the table.

"I'm just imagining you doing the cheers..." Charlie thought some more before laughing.

"Fuck you." Billy Jean said to him.

She turned to Mary.

"I can't do it anyways. I have work after school every day so no clubs for me."

Best Chinese/Japanese food in Blüdhaven. Billy Jean's mother was born in Suzhou China. She had moved to America for college. Her father was an all-around American boy. Apparently, Billy Jean was named after a Michael Jackson song because that was the song that played when they met.

Her name was spelled wrong. It was Billy's grandmother's fault she had no idea how to spell it and didn't have her glasses on.

"Mary!" Nell screamed loudly.

Mary choked on her water and raised a brow.

"Yes?"

"You should join the cheer team!" Nell clapped.

Colin snorted. Mary glanced at him in the corner of her eye but said nothing.

Charlie smiled his award-winning smile. "Hey, that's a good idea!"

"Oh um I'm already in a club." Mary waved her off.

Nell pouted. "Please, Mary! It would be so fun! Please! Please! Mary, please! Mary please!"

With each 'please' Nell spoke louder and louder.

People began to stare.

"Okay... but I don't know if I'll make it to every practice..."

"We only meet once a week! Sometimes in between classes." Nell got up and tackled Mary in a hug.

Nell kissed Mary's cheek.

Colin grabbed his book bag and left.

"I'm gonna talk to Camilla! Okay bye!" Nell sprinted off.

She did a front flip and continued to run unbothered.

"Whos Camilla?" Mary asked an amused Charlie.

"Camilla Ramirez. She's the cheer captain." Billy Jean answered.

"B.J has a crush on her in middle school," Charlie whispered.

"Shut up!" Billy Jean pointed.

Mary sighed.

The bell rang. Billy Jean and Charlie said their goodbyes. Mary didn't even touch her lunch.

* * *

**LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, BLÜDHAVEN**   
**3:00 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Mary waited outside of the high school digging the tip of her shoes into the sidewalk.

"You ready?" Colin asked coming up behind her.

Mary frowned, "oh um... I'm gonna go home with Billy Jean and Nell today."

"Why?"

"I don't know something about my cheerleading uniform? Do you wanna come?" She asked hopefully.

There was something about Colin Wilkes that she was drawn to. She wasn't sure what it was. And maybe if she figured it out she would be disappointed in him. Or disappointed in herself.

"Nah that doesn't really seem like my place..." Colin shook his head.

She swallowed. "Oh okay."

"Also B.J's parents don't like me."

"Why?"

"Because he smells like cigarettes that's why." Billy Jean said in a vexed tone.

Colin rolled his eyes. "My uncle smokes! It's not my fault I ended up smelling like that!"

"I think you smell nice," Nell said with a small smile.

Colin said nothing to that but he looked down and scratched his head.

"Come on we're gonna miss the bus," Billy Jean dragged Mary by the arm.

"Walk home safe!" Mary shouted waving.

Colin saluted and began to kick a pebble on his walk home.

Mary has never been on a school bus before. It was loud. The overstimulation came from the noises, the shoving, and touching as well as the smell of b.o and cheap perfume to _hide_ b.o. There was some obscene graffiti on the blue seats. She traced over them with her fingers. Nell and Billy Jean talked to each other.

She looked at a poorly drawn Superman symbol and smiled. Mary got out a sharpie and scribbled an 'R' with a circle around it.

The bus stopped. Billy Jean elbowed Mary and she followed off the bus.

Billy Jean lived in the south part of Blüdhaven, not too far from Mary but for Nell, she lived halfway across the city.

The apartment Billy Jean lived in with her family was just above her family's restaurant.

**Yuxi Kitchen**

"Your last name is Yuxi?" Mary asked as they walked in.

"Nah my last name is Izanami. Yuxi is my mom's maiden name." Billy Jean informed.

People ate at various tables. An old woman sat behind a desk. A staircase near the back of the restaurant

Billy Jean gestured to the old woman that they would be going up the stairs.

Billy Jean yelled for her mother in Chinese.

"Her mom doesn't speak English," Nell whispered to Mary.

Mary watched the mother and daughter interact.

Billy Jean's mother was working on cookie dough. She had short black hair and was shorter than Billy Jean.

 _"Who is this girl? Is she your girlfriend?"_ Mrs. Izanami asked Billy Jean in Chinese.

 _"No, she's not..."_ Billy Jean responded in a hushed whisper.

She picked up a handful of chocolate chips and put them in her mouth.

 _"Hello, my name is Mary!"_ Mary said in perfect Chinese.

Everyone paused and looked at her.

Mrs. Izanami smiles wide and hugged Mary.

_"Oh, it's so nice to meet you, Mary! You speak Chinese perfectly, do your parents know Chinese?"_

Mary opened her mouth but Billy Jean grabbed her.

"We're going upstairs!" Billy Jean yelled and dragged her.

"I don't know what that entire conversation was but she seemed the happiest be ever seen her." Nell began to take off her heels in the process.

Billy Jean's room has a bunch of posters and movies she didn't understand. Various family photos littered her desk.

Mary picked up a picture of a baby Billy Jean being held by her mother and father. She held the purple frame right in her hands. Billy Jean's father smiled wide and kissed his wife's cheek.

"How the hell do you know Chinese? You barely know how to speak English!" Billy Jean crossed her arm.

"Yeah, how many languages do you speak?" Nell asked sarcastically.

"Well, I know Chinese, Japanese, English, Arabic. Spanish, a little bit of Russian, and for some reason Turkish." Mary counted three languages on her fingers.

"How do you manage to know so many languages?" Billy Jean got out her sketchbook and her sewing machine.

"Um..."

"Oh, are you left side?" Nell interrupted.

Billy Jean looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"What?"

"There's like a left side and a right side of your brain. Doesn't one of them help with languages?"

Billy Jean thought for a moment. She wanted to say Nell was wrong but she didn't actually _know_ if Nell was wrong.

Mary was just happy the conversation moved on.

"I hate our school. I can't believe we don't even have enough money to get you a proper cheerleading uniform." Billy Jean got out measuring tape.

"Do you ever wonder where our taxes go?"

"No to the school system that's for sure. Jamie Daniels asked me how to spell 'revolution'"

Nell laughed and then looked at her phone. She spelled out 'revolution' in her head. When she spelled it right she let a small sigh and smiled.

"I hate living here." Billy Jean measured Mary's waist.

"I kinda like it here," Mary whispered.

"Believe me once you live there for more than a month you'll change your mind." Billy Jean snorted and began measuring Mary's shoulders.

"The Joker got out of Arkham again? Oh, wait no that's Harley Quinn... eh same thing." Nell continued to scroll on her phone.

"My dad said a bunch of other Gotham crazies escaped. Apparently, a guard lost his eye or something. They better not come over here is all I'm saying."

Mary hissed when Billy Jean hit her with a pin.

"Hey, Blockbuster is still in jail so at least we haven't fallen that far."

Mary made a mental note to ask who the hell Blockbuster was.

"That's what he gets for naming himself after a dying video rental chain." Nell took out a piece of bubblegum and began to chew on it.

Mary didn't mind that she didn't know what Nell and Billy Jean were talking about. She just liked hearing the two talk about anything and everything. It was pretty funny to watch them change talking subjects so quickly.

It was also nice to talk to girls in general. Damian and Jon were fun and she enjoyed their company but sometimes it was very obvious that they had been friends for years and she had just been plopped between them.

Billy Jean and Nell had been friends for years but it didn't really show.

Mary stayed over for a little while after Billy Jean was done taking her measurements.

On the bus ride back Mary felt a sharp pain in her neck.

"Ow! Damn!" Mary slapped her pain thinking a wasp had stung her.

"You okay?" Nell asked from next to her.

"I think something stung me?"

Nell looked at her neck.

A small hole was in Mary's neck but no blood came out.

"Want me to suck the venom out?" Nell asked.

The bus stopped.

"Ms. Little you pervert." Mary got up with a smile.

"I hope you die of that poison." Nell stuck out her tongue.

Mary waved and walked off the bus slowly.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**1:38 AM LOCAL TIME**

Dick took off his Nightwing mask and fell on his bed. Mar'i should be asleep by now. His costume was still on and he knew in the back of his mind that he couldn't sleep in it (again).

His apartment felt strangely quiet and then he heard. Soft clawing at his door. He grabbed an old _Nirvana_ t-shirt and opened his door.

A blue eye and a green eye stared at him.

_Damn cat..._

Dick looked to see some of the paint on his white bedroom door came off.

"What?" Dick asked the cat.

He didn't even remember the cats' name.

Jin looked at Mary's closed door and meowed.

Dick sighed. He went to pick the cat up but Jin hissed.

"One day when she leaves I'm gonna drop you off at a shelter you little..."

"Hello, Dick... long time no see..." Slade Wilson sat on Mar'is bed with a gun to her head.

The teenage girl seemed to be sleeping, or maybe she was knocked out. Jin scurried behind Dick and hissed at the older man.

Slade glanced at the sleeping beauty and then back to a stunned Dick.

"It's been a while. Someone's been busy."


	35. Issue #35

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**1:39 AM LOCAL TIME**

How many times has Dick Grayson stared down the barrel of a gun? Probably more times than a normal person.

But how many times has Dick Grayson stared down the barrel of Slade Wilson's gun? Again probably more times than a normal person, another thing is that if anyone else stared down the barrel of a gun pointed by Slade Wilson, they probably would not live to talk about it.

But here he was. With his daughter's cat standing behind him in fear. Slade continued to point the gun at Mar'i.

"So. Gonna go out on a lunge and say that this is Starfire's kid? Can I call her Kory?"

"No. And put the gun down." Dick glared.

"No, I'm comfortable where it is right now."

Jin continued to stand behind Dick.

Dick had to hand it to the cat. He did seem like he was about to pounce. Good guard cat.

"Can I ask what you're doing here?" Dick began to strategize ways of not getting his daughter shot in the face.

"I have business in Blüdhaven just wanted to pop in and say hi."

"What type of business? You're not planning on killing the mayor are you?"

"Haven't been paid to kill him yet but give it time."

A car drove by. A beam of light flashed the window for a quick moment.

"So you have business here. What does that have to do with me?"

"Going to be killing a few people around your city and I don't want you being a pain in my ass."

Mar'i let out a small groan. And shook her head slightly.

"Must be wearing off. I'll make sure to use horse tranquilizers next time." Slade joked but he said it in a completely serious tone.

"Guess you'll be off now."

"Guess so. Have a good night. Tell her I said hi."

There's nothing Dick hates more than to see Slade Wilson acting smug.

A smoke bomb went off in the room. Dick coughed several times and Jin let out a yelp. The smoke cleared and Dick ran to the window. Slade was gone.

"Why are you in my room?" Mar'i asked.

She sounded more confused than alarmed.

Jin meowed and jumped on Mar'is lap.

"Uh he was clawing at my door and he wanted to be let in."

"Oh. Silly kitty I told you I was going to bed." Mar'i scratched behind the black cat's ear.

Jin seemed to be sticking his tongue out.

"Well... goodnight..." Dick waved and began to awkwardly shuffle out her room.

"Are you okay?" Mar'i asked frowning.

"Yeah, I'm just hungry." Dick nodded.

"Oh well make sure you eat."

"Yeah."

"Goodnight!"

"Night..."

* * *

**WAYNE MANOR**   
**10:00 AM LOCAL TIME**

Damian didn't do much on the weekends. He would be invited places sure but that wouldn't mean he would go.

It was a double sword. He didn't leave the manor but if you _didn't_ invite him places he would be insulted.

But this weekend he did have somewhere to be. The Rebels hideout.

Helena clung to his leg.

"Where are you goi **nggggggg**?" She frowned.

"Out." He responded.

Helena changed tactics she grabbed _both_ his legs completely stopping him in his tracks.

"You never go out when the sun is out!"

_Ouch._

"Well, maybe I'm changing my ways." Damian tried pushing her off gently.

"Your a bad liar and are t you grounded for skipping school?"

"Maybe. If you let me go I'll come back and play one of your games."

Helena thought for a moment.

"Bribing your own sister. You're a sick boy." Helena let go of his legs nonetheless.

"I'll live."

Helena crossed her arms and watched him close the door. Ace sat next to her. He laid down and rest his head on her thigh.

"You won't leave me, right boy?"

Ace licked her cheek.

When he arrived at the hideout Jon and Mar'i were doing a thumb war.

"Can I interrupt?"

"One second I'm about to win," Jon said.

Damian could have sworn he saw sweat.

"I was trained by generals of Tamaran do you think I would-!"

Damian threw a batarang in the middle of the table. Both of them jumped.

Jon dived his thumb over Mar'is.

"I win!"

"That's cheating!" Mar'i yelled slapping her hand on the table.

"How I didn't even do-"

"Oh I'm sorry are you two done?" Damian asked with no concern lingering in his voice.

Mar'i and Jon frowned and gave Damian his full attention.

"Great. So anyway. This is Jeffrey Burr."

Damian pulled up a picture of the older man.

"He's a scientist, he recently got a grant to start something called the Ion Cortex." Damian began to read but Jon intervened.

"Oh, I read about him! He's like only twenty or something, the project is supposed to end the world's energy problems. He's originally from Blüdhaven."

Damian blinked. Jon stared back.

"Oh I'm sorry are _you_ doing the briefing?"

Jon rolled his eyes and put his chin in his hand. "Continue."

"As I was saying. I believe that Mr. Burr has a hit on him. I'm not sure who's going to be taking out the hit but I think it's in our best interest as well as the world's if we keep him safe."

"Why would anyone put a hit on a guy like him? Wouldn't everyone be rejoicing that he could practically eliminate a worldwide problem?" Mar'i titled her head to the side in confusion.

"Capitalism," Jon whispered to her.

"Jon no," Damian said. "The hit could be by someone who has something to lose if Burr's invention actually comes to fruition."

"Does Jeffrey have any family in Blüdhaven?" Mar'i asked.

"He has a brother and a mother. Apparently, his father died when he was young."

"Any chance his brother called the hit?" Jon asked.

"Evil brother," Mar'i whispered to herself.

"Maybe. When his father died, the family was left with a pretty big inheritance. His brother could be jealous of his success. I've seen people hire killers for less."

"So what's the plan? Just wait until Deathstroke tried to shoot the guy in the head?" Jon stood up.

"Precisely." Damian nodded.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**10:57 PM LOCAL TIME**

It turns out that Jeffrey Burr was boring to watch. He stayed in his motel room. Watching tv, reading, and writing. Jeffrey Burr was a tall skinny man that seemed to always be slouching. Thick black glasses and messy brown hair. Facial hair was slowly growing on his face.

"This is so boring!" Nightstar groaned.

She fell on her back.

"It's called surveillance," Robin informed her still looking at the man through binoculars.

"Than surveillance is boring!" Nightstar yelled.

"Keep your voice down." Robin glanced at her.

"Maybe Deathstroke is off killing like a different Jeffrey Burr. It's a very popular name." Superboy had his chin in his palm.

"Is it?" Nightstar asked lifting her head slightly.

"I don't know it seems like a popular-"

"He closed his blinds. Interesting." Robin pondered.

"Riveting stuff." Superboy looked at through the blinds.

"What's he doing?" Robin asked.

"He's sleeping," Superboy informed.

"Amazing." Nightstar droned.

"Someone's knocking at the door but he's not getting up."

Nightstar lifted her head up.

"What do you-!"

Before Robin could see his question Superboy ran off. A blur of blue and red.

He ran through the window. Glass and brick fell down towards the street.

Deathstroke held a knife in his hand.

Superboy has never seen the terminator up close before. For someone in his older age, he seemed as strong as ever.

"Hm this isn't ideal now is it?" Deathstroke spoke in a gravelly voice.

"For you maybe." Superboy shook his head.

Deathstroke whispered something. He threw a knife at the sleeping Jeffrey Burr. Superboy's eyes widened and he grabbed the knife before it hit him.

"Look I'm not really in the mood to fight you right now." Deathstroke took out a gun and began to shoot all throughout the room.

Superboy could tell what he was doing. He was hoping that the bullets would bounce off of him and hit Burr.

"Are you two gonna help me?!" Superboy yelled out the busted window.

A moment later Nightstar and Robin were in the room. Deathstroke glanced at Nightstar. His entire posture changed from minor annoyance to complete anger.

"Sending his kid instead of coming here himself. Bastard."

Robin kicked him in the chest sending him back through the door.

People came out of their motel rooms to watch. A scantily clad woman screamed and ran back inside.

"Don't have your sword do ya kid? Did **batdad** take it away from you?"

Deathstroke took a sword and began to swing at Robin kicked a trash can at the mercenary.

Slade cut in half. Wrappers, plastic bottles, and more littered the floor.

"I don't need a sword to know I'm better than you." Robin dodged another attack and kicked the mercenary in the face.

Deathstroke's mask hid his reaction.

"Sure you don't kiddo."

 _"Robin we got him."_ Nightstar's voice rang into his ear.

Robin saw Deathstroke charging stocks him and threw several smoke bombs.

When the smoke cleared Slade Wilson was alone.

"Damn it. I don't have time for this." He grunted to himself.

A man opened a door. He looked Deathstroke up and down and closed the door. Locking it.

A phone rang in his back pocket. He answered it but said nothing.

 _"Did you do it?"_ An anxious voice

"There's a complication." He responded.

_"What?! I didn't pay you to-"_

"Look I'm taking care of it."

He hung up the phone.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**11:15 AM LOCAL TIME**

They didn't take him back to Rebels base.

Robin said they should take him to a separate safe house.

Robin was on the phone outside. Superboy and Nightstar waited for Burr to wake up.

Burr moved to the side and rubbed his forehead. He blinked realizing he was sleeping on the floor.

He glanced at Superboy and then at Nightstar. He screamed and crawled backward until he hit the wall.

"Shit! Shit! Oh god, what am I doing here?"

Superboy blinked.

"You're confused and probably tired," Superboy said slowly.

Superboy tried to grab his arm. Burr kicked him in the face.

Nightstar jumped. She pulled the man up by his shirt collar and tossed him against the wall.

"Are you alright?" Nightstar whispered to Superboy.

"Yeah, it didn't really hurt. I think he got dirt in my eye though." Superboy blinked several times.

"What in X'hals name is your problem?" Nightstar yelled.

"You people kidnapped me!"

"Believe me it's better than what Deathstroke was going to do." Nightstar retorted.

Burr was silent for a second before looking between Nightstar and Superboy.

"I think I'll manage fine without the help of discount Superman and the failed _Forever 21_ model."

Nightstar cracked her knuckles. "I'm knocking him out again."

"Nightstar no!"

Superboy grabbed her and she clawed at his forearm. She began to curse at the man in a foreign language.

"I'm leaving." Burr glared.

"You step out that door and you die!"  
Superboy yelled trying to calm Nightstar down.

"Fine by me-"

"You're not going anywhere sit down." Robin dropped in front of him.

Burr stumbled back and swallowed.

"Personally I don't care about you at all. But if you die your invention that will help all of mankind, dies with you, so. Sit. Down."

Robin glared behind his mask and had his hood on.

Burr kicked a box and sat on the ground.

"Okay so do you people have a plan? Or am I supposed to live my whole life in here. Because I want kids one day and I'm not having them with the orange chick."

Nightstar was about to grab at him but Robin gave her a look at that Burr couldn't see.

"Believe me we don't want to be with you our whole lives _either_." Superboy retorted.

"Stay put." Robin walked off.

He grabbed Superboy and Nightstar by the arms.

Nightstar turned around and stuck out her tongue.

"Knock it off." Robin barked at her.

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Here's what we're going to do. We're keeping this guy alive until one this afternoon. I've arranged for a bullet train as well as bodyguards who work directly with the UN to pick him up."

"Won't Deathstroke just kill the bodyguards and like hack the bullet train or something?" Superboy asked.

"Even Deathstroke has his limits. If he does anything to go against the UN too many people are going to be onto him. He can't be an assassin for hire when the whole world will be tracking him down. We get him on that train. And he's home free. Mr. Burr will live the rest of his life under the protection of the UN." Robin looked over Nightstars shoulder.

Burr was writing something on the wall with a small switchblade.

"Should we contact his family?" Nightstar asked.

"No. We don't know if his family had something to do with the hit. I'm going to do some research on the brother. You two stay here and just... watch him. Superboy make sure Nightstar doesn't kill him."

There was no humor in Robin's tone.

"I'm not gonna kill him." Nightstar scoffed.

"Not with Superboy here."

Superboy rolled his eyes.

Robin walked off and wished them both the best of luck.

"I'm sure he's not that bad. Maybe we just freaked him out and he got it all out of his system." Superboy patted Nightstar on the back.

"One of you go get me something to eat." Burr didn't look up at either of the teenage superheroes.

"Or maybe he's just always a dick." Nightstar bit the inside of her cheek.


	36. Chapter 36

**BLÜDHAVEN**  
 **11:37** **AM LOCAL TIME**

Robin would describe Burr's family's financial situation as a lower-upper class.

Most definitely they were richer than the average family but it's not like they would be invited to a Wayne Gala.

Jeffrey Burr lived in a small apartment on the east side of Blüdhaven. The apartment was dirty, and books littered the floor. A _Pulp Fiction_ poster was on the wall.

Robin looked for any family pictures but to no avail.

He looked to see an answering machine. He clicked it.

_"Jeff it's Jason. We need to talk about everything. I think at the very least you owe me that."_

Next message.

_"Jeff it's Jason. We made a deal and I still haven't gotten the money..."_

Next message.

_"Jeff I'm gonna give you one last chance... or... Jeff come on."_

Final message.

_"I didn't want to do it. Why didn't you call me Jeff?"_

Robin frowned.

He opened various drawers and searched them. At the bottom of the very last drawer that he checks he found a notebook. He read various pages and stopped. Reading the pages of notes over and over again.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**12:28 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


Nightstar was at her limit.

She never knew she could get annoyed so quickly.

 _All men do is complain._ She thought.

"So your invention," Superboy asked Burr.

Burr looked up.

He was using a piece of broken glass to carve into the wall.

"What about it?"

"How does it work?" Superboy glanced at Nightstar who was floating near an open window. She began to board it up.

"I doubt you could ever understand the level of engineering and physics that my invention entails."

Superboy frowned.

"Your invention it uses renewable energy doesn't it."

"Yes."

"Okay well, it's not _that_ hard to understand. Ya know I heard about this guy and he made a car that like ran on water." Superboy explained.

Burr closed his eyes for a moment before rubbing his temples.

"Is your invention like that?" Superboy asked blissfully unaware of how annoyed the man was.

"Not like he would know. It's not _his_ invention."

Robin threw a notebook at the man. He caught it and looked at it. For the first time in a long time, Jeffrey Burr was left silent.

"What are you talking about?" Nightstar asked flying over.

"It's not his invention he stole the idea from his brother," Robin told his alien teammates.

"What?" Superboy asked looking at the man.

"That's not the worst part. You want to say it or should I?"

Burr said nothing.

"His brother said he could take all the credit. All he asked for was some money to take care of their _dying_ mother. And you didn't even give him that!"

The Rebels looked at the man. Faces mixed with disgust, disappointment, and contempt.

"You don't understand."

"I completely don't understand, and I don't want to."

There was a knock on the front door of the building. Everyone paused.

The door burst open.

"It's rude to keep your elders waiting," Deathstroke commented.

Jeffrey Burr began to breathe heavily.

"You three have to protect me! Doesn't Batman have a rule that he doesn't kill anyone?!" Burr yelled.

"He's right. Even if he is a jerk. We can't let him die, not by Deathstroke anyways." Superboy picked Jeffrey up.

"Oh no, you don't." Deathstroke threw a rope at Superboy's leg and dragged him back onto the ground.

Nightstar burned the rope.

Deathstroke pulled out a gun and began shooting at all of them.

Damn kids. He needed to kill Burr but killing these teenagers for interning would be a plus. Robin tackles Burr and they hid behind boxes.

He looked and saw Superboy and Nightstar hiding a few feet away.

"Listen my brother and I worked on it together. We developed everything together. You don't understand, my brother he's not well mentally okay. He could never be in the limelight."

"Shut up." Robin glared.

Nightstar threw a barrage of star bolts when Deathstroke paused to reload. A knife was thrown eerily close to her face. Robin threw a batarang at the knife causing it to miss by a mere-centimeter

Superboy grabbed a large shipping crate and threw it at Deathstroke. The trio seeing this distracted for a second, retreated.

"This guys an asshole I'm sure the three of you know that by now! He's really not worth the protection."

"He's right," Nightstar whispered.

"Nightstar-!"

"If his brother knows everything that he knows..."

Superboy gawked at her.

"He was going to let his mother I have little sympathy excuse me." Nightstar defended.

"My mother always told me that she didn't need me to take care of her. No matter how sick she got she wanted nothing from me."

"And you believed her?" Nightstar questioned.

The more the man talked the more Robin felt himself agreeing.

Nonetheless, he said, "No."

Nightstar sighed and shook her head.

It was quiet for a moment.

Did he check in another part of the building?

A grenade rolled towards them. It stopped.

Everything happened in slow motion. Superboy picked up Nightstar, he flew and grabbed Robin and Burr.

He had never moved so fast in his entire life. The second he got out of the building it exploded. His ears began to ring and he rubbed his eyes. He opened his eyes to see a gun pointed at Nightstar's chest.

Deathstroke and Nightstar stared at each other.

"Your just as annoying as him," Deathstroke said.

"Look if you kill him I'm gonna have to deal with Robin and Superboy being disappointed in me and I won't let that happen."

"Huh, here I thought it was for a noble self-righteous reason." He was almost impressed.

Almost.

"Not really."

Nightstar spit on the gun. The muzzle burned and began to slowly fall and drip.

She kicked Deathstroke in the groin. The man stumbled back.

Superboy used his heat vision to burn his sword. Deathstroke took out his sword and threw it on the ground. As he stumbled back Robin kicked his back as hard as he could manage.

The Rebels stood over him. He looked up. Nightstar held up an orange star bolt, Superboy let his eyes glow red. Robin held a batarang to the older man's throat.

A helicopter flew over them. It began to fly down and finally landed.

Several men in black suits and dark sunglasses got out of the helicopter. Each of them wore the same serious expression.

"The UN huh..." Deathstroke glanced at the shaking Jeffrey Burr.

"Hm..."

"We're not letting you escape," Robin said sternly.

"Cute... stupid but cute."

A smoke grenade was thrown. Shouting and yelling from the agents and the Rebels.

When the smoke cleared Jeffrey Burr was holding onto Nightstar leg. She glanced down.

He quickly let go and pushed her away. He cleared his throat.

"Well, I supposed I should say thank you." He said.

They waited for him to continue but he didn't.

"Don't forget your notebook full of stolen ideas." Robin scowled and threw it at the man again.

He let the notebook fall to the ground and put his hands in his pockets.

"No, I don't need it anymore." Burr nodded at them and walked towards the agents.

Nightstar set the notebook on fire. She watched the paper burn into ash.

Sirens wailed in the distance coming closer and closer.

"Hopefully the next person we save isn't a liar or an abuser. First those cops and now this guy." Robin crossed his arms.

"Yeah, hopefully, the next person we save actually deserves it." Nightstar sighed.

"No... I think everyone deserved to be saved... I don't know maybe Burr will change because of this." Superboy watched as the fire trucks pulled into the lot.

"Or maybe he won't." Nightstar continued.

"Yeah well... either way, now that he's alive and in protective custody, he'll have the choice to be better. That's what important. People living another day and having the choice." Robin watched the fire slowly go out.

* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN'S GENERAL HOSPITAL**   
**10:00 PM LOCAL TIME**

Jason Burr knew his brother wasn't dead. Call it twin intuition. Although the brothers weren't identical they used to pretend as kids to be one another. It was a game.

But as they grew older they couldn't look more different. Jeffrey looked defined. Jason looked homely.

His long hair and rugged face made people think he was a fool. Jeffrey was the one who got everything... maybe he deserved it more.

Maybe Jason Burr deserved to live and die completely insignificant.

How was he going to pay for his mother's treatments? He worked as a plumber. It was good money but not good enough.

"Mr. Burr?" The doctor pulled him aside.

His mother laid almost lifeless in the hospital bed. She would occasionally move her fingers.

"Look I know that I was behind on the last bill but I did pay it and-"

The doctor held up his hand.

"This has never happened before but an anonymous donor has offered to pay for your mother's full treatment. Unfortunately, I can't give you the donors name for legal-"

"I'm sorry wait... someone's paying for her... for her medical treatment."

"Yes sir."

Jason let his head hit the back of the white hospital walls.

Jason Burr cried.

Jeffrey... maybe it was Jeffrey... who else would care about Jason Burr this much?

Robin stood outside the hospital window with a small smile on his face. He took out his grappling hook and swung off back to Gotham.  
  


MEANWHILE

Mar'i came in through her bedroom window. She knew no one saw her. It was dark all throughout the apartment. She stripped and put on her pajamas.

"Jin?" She made kissing noises trying to get the cat to come out from hiding.

She heard a soft meow come from outside her room. She opened her bedroom door and swallowed.

The apartment was destroyed completely. Glass shattered everywhere. Picture frames fell to the ground. The tv was broken. She flew off the ground to avoid the broken glass.

"Dad? Dad? Hello?" Jin hopped from under a table.

The black cat had his left leg broken. Mar'i gasped and picked him up. The day cried and licked her cheek.

"Do you know where Dad is?"

Maybe they were robbed when they were both out.

Jin cried softly and was looking at the wall behind her.

Mar'i turned around.

She almost dropped her poor cat right then and there.  
  


**YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF IT**   
  


Was written in blood on the wall.


	37. Issue #37

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**10:20 PM LOCAL TIME**

Jon came in through the window. He had debated putting on his Superboy costume but decided against it. Mar'i was sitting on the couch. Her back straight and she stared forward. Damian was holding her cat in his arms. He leaned down and was sitting on the floor next to her.

He was wrapping something around the cat's dainty leg.

Jin let out a small meow and licked Damian's cheek.

"Um hey."

Damian looked up and let Jin go.

Jin tried jumping on the couch to sit next to Mar'i but she picked him up before he could hurt himself more.

Mar'i didn't turn around.

There was a knock on the door and the teenagers froze.

Mar'i looked around. She grabbed her amulet and put it on. She snapped at Damian and Jon to hide.

She opened the door only showing her face.

"Oh hello, Mr. Liselle." She greeted her elderly neighbor with a forced smile.

"I heard a ruckus." The old man said.

"Yes, I'm sorry I was watching tv. I'll keep it down."

"Too damn late to be watching tv." The man said and went back into his apartment.

Mary sighed and closed the door.

Jon and Damian peeped from behind the counter.

Mary leaned her forehead on the cool wooden door.

It was quiet the only sound was the clock ticking.

"We'll clean the apartment." Damian offered.

Mary turned around and smiled.

"You don't have to do that."

"It's fine we don't mind." Jon nodded trying to find a broom.

"Okay... um, I'm gonna go to bed if that's alright."

Both boys nodded.

Mary picked up Jin in her arms and walked to her room. Closing the door behind her.

"I'll wash the walls. You take the floors." Damian wet a washcloth.

"Yeah."

Jon picked up the large pieces of glass with his bare hands. He turned to look at Damian who was staring at the wall.

He had cleaned off a lot of the blood but the word,

**STAYED**

was harder to clean.

Jon stood next to him not saying anything. Damian wasn't much of a hugger. He didn't like being touched. And if he was going to hug you he had to initiate it.

"He's not dead." Jon took the rag from Damian's hands and wiped the bloody words from the walls.

"You don't know that."

"I don't. But I don't think Deathstroke would go to all this trouble to kill him."

Damian clicked his tongue. "So he's going to be tortured first? That makes me feel better."

Jon looked at him. He placed a hand on Damian's shoulder.

"We're gonna fund him okay? We're gonna figure it out. Together."  
  


* * *

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**7:21 AM LOCAL TIME**

Mar'i didn't remember falling asleep. But she must have been fading in and out of consciousness until she blacked out.

She stayed in bed and kept her eyes shut. She was awake but she didn't want to move. The bruises from the day before were starting to take form. Last night she had traced all of her scars.

Most were when she was a child. She always got hurt and she never learned her lesson. Falling from heights and landing on sharp thorns and rocks. She remembered her cousin had to carry her back home more times than she could count.

Home.

This was her home now. As much as she hated to admit it. And she would never admit it out loud. Earth was her home now.

She finally opened her eyes. She scanned her room and jumped when she saw Jon sleeping on an armchair.

"What are you doing?!" Mar'i yelled throwing a pillow at him.

He woke up suddenly and stood up straight.

"I... well... I..."

His voices sounded groggily and deeper in the morning.

"I was keeping watch to make sure Deathstroke didn't come back." He answered finally after clearing his throat.

Mar'i frowned. "Really? And you were gonna protect me by sleeping?"

"Damian was on watch!" Jon defended.

"Damian's here?" Mar'i asked looking around for him.

"Well, he should-"

They both heard snoring coming from her closet. Mar'i rolled her eyes and opened her closet door.

Damian was sleeping on the floor with Jin in his arms. Jin snoozed happily twisting his tail around.

One of Mar'is bonnets fell on his head.

"Damian..."

He didn't wake up.

"Damian!"

His eyes shot open as did Jin's.

Jin let out a yowl and scratched Damian on the face before jumping and rushing into Mar'is arms.

"Ow! This is you treat me after I saved your life? _Alqarf_ _qalilanaan_." Damian cursed at the cat in Arabic.

"Maybe he just doesn't like you. He likes me don't you Jin." Jon tried petting the cat.

Jin glared and let out a warning growl.

"Or maybe not."

Mar'is phone rang and she put Jin down.

"Hello?"

Her eyes widened.

"Oh hi, Colin."

Jon looked at Damian.

_"Who's Collin?"_

Damian scratches the back of his neck.

"I'm feeling sick." She let out a cough.

"No! No! Don't come over I don't want to get you sick."

"Alright... bye..."

She turned to Damian and Jon.

"Okay, what are we doing? What's our plan for getting my dad back."

"For right now. You need to act like everything's fine. If anyone asks your dad is working on a case in Gotham. I'm going to look into Deathstroke's old bases see if he would still go there and if there's been any reason activity in the areas. Jon will help you finish cleaning up the apartment."

"That's it? That's all we can do? Can't we call the Justice League or the Army or I don't know." Her hands began to shake.

"That's all we can do for right now... I'm... he's probably still alive."

Mar'i bit at her fingernails.

"How do you know that?"

"If he was going to kill your father he would make you watch."

In his head, it sounded more reassuring.

"Everything's... we're gonna figure this out and we're gonna get him back... together..."

Mar'i nodded and looked at the two boys.

She had never had friends like this before. She had never had friends period.

Jon and Damian... she couldn't imagine having anyone better to help her find her dad.  
  


* * *

**SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF INDONESIA**

There was a small slither of the open sky that he could see. His legs were bound three times over as were his arms. They hurt from being hoisted up all night.

The stars shined brighter here than they did in Blüdhaven. He looked at one in particular through his none bruised eye. He thought of Mar'i.

Dick spit out some blood that he still tasted in his mouth.

Again he looked up at the star- his star.

He hoped Mar'i was okay. He hoped he would see her again. Most of all he just hoped that this wasn't going to be how he died.


	38. Issue #38

**BLÜDHAVEN**   
**72 HOURS AGO**

Dick Grayson was so tired. All the crazies had popped up in Blüdhaven tonight. He didn't even want to take a shower. He wanted to collapse into his bed and do it all again tomorrow.

He entered his apartment and was suddenly kicked in his back.

He fell to the floor and tried to get up.

He turned and a gun was pointing at him.

"Someone's a liar."

Deathstroke presses the gun against Dick's forehead.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Dick swallowed.

"Sending your daughter instead of coming for me yourself. I never took you for a coward Grayson."

Jin let out a meow and scratched at Deathstroke's boot. Deathstroke kicked the cat and stomped on his poor little paw.

Jin let out a cry and hide under the kitchen table.

Dick kicked the gun out of his hands and grabbed the man.

Dick threw him against the wall.

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about Slade. Is that dementia setting in?"

Slade began to shoot at him.

"You know what you did? Where is she huh?"

_Is he talking about Mar'i?_

Dick was worried about people hearing the gunshots and calling the police.

But this was Blüdhaven. When you heard gunshots you kept your head down and walked a little faster.

Slade was just throwing whatever he had at the acrobat.

Bullets. A barrage of knives. Probably more but Dick was trying not to die so he wasn't counting.

"I didn't get my full payment. I got paid only half of what I was owed."

It was all dawning on him. Mar'i must have found a way to stop Deathstroke from carrying out his mission. She stopped one of his assignations.

Before he could think about how she did it or _how_ she even knew where to begin when fighting Deathstroke.

Dick got stabbed in the leg. He had been stabbed many times before but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

He stumbled back. In the corner of his eye, he saw Jin shaking in the corner.

Deathstroke took off his mask and leaned down so they were face to face.

"That looks like it hurts huh? Your daughters a pretty good fighter I'll give her that. I want you to know after I'm done with you. I'm going after her. And there's going to be nothing you can do about it." There was something so frustrating about seeing Slade Wilson be happy.

Dick took the knife out of his leg. He stabbed Slade in the shoulder.

Slade let out a loud yell. Dick punched him in the face.

"Leave her out of this." Dick punched him again.

A bloody fist connected with Slade's cheek.

"Why? You didn't."

Dick felt his head being slammed against the living room wall.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

His vision was blurring. He was losing feeling in his left arm.

Eight.

Dick completely passed out.

Slade threw him to the floor like a rag doll.

Slade leaned against the kitchen table. He let out ragged breaths.

He swallowed before ripping the knife from his shoulder.

He looked around the now broken and battered apartment.

"You live in a shithole Grayson."

Dick obviously, didn't respond.

He walked to the bathroom and pulled out bandages and hydrogen peroxide. He cleaned his wound and even cleaned off the blade.

Slade looked through Dick's fridge. He pulled out an obviously cheap beer. He sat on the couch and drank. He looked at Dick on the floor still. He thought of a memory. A memory that was clear to him despite his old age.  
  


* * *

**16 YEARS AGO**

He was dying. Slade Wilson was dying. Somewhere he could hear Adelaide somewhere in the world laughing her ass off. This was karma, wasn't it? Karma for Grant. Karma for Terra...

It was his fight with the Teen Titans. He had been thrown off a bridge by Raven. She must have lost control or however the hell her powers worked.

Water filled his lungs. His armor was letting him sink further and further into the Hudson River.

Slade was pulled from the river and coughed up water.

Dick sat next to him shaking his black hair. His costume was different than how it was now. It was much more _flashy_ back then.

"You should have let me drown."

"Believe me. Everyone on my team was saying the same thing."

"So why didn't you let me drown then?" Slade asked staring up at the sky.

"You besides my moral compass?" Dick stood up.

"You continue to be boring Grayson." Slade moved to get up.

Dick put his foot on the man's chest and he fell back down. Slade's lungs were burning.

"If I didn't save you I wouldn't be able to look Joey the same way," Dick answered.

Dick kicked Slade in the face and walked off towards the Titans.  
  


* * *

Slade wasn't fond of that memory. He wasn't fond of most of the memories he had but for some reason, it always stayed in the back of his head.

He picked Dick up and wrapped bandages around his leg.

He noticed blood on the floor.

"Damn you probably have a concussion don't you?"

Dick didn't respond.

"Not your first one probably."

He looked at the blood on the floor then looked at one of the walls of the apartment.

He rubbed the blood on the walls into letters and looked back on his work.

He checked the clock.

Slade looked at Dick's broken-up apartment.

Broken picture frames, blood on the floor.

He picked Dick up and went out the window.

"Peabody."

_"Yes?"_

"I need a plane."

_"A plane?"_

"Yeah. Now get me one."

He heard the man sigh and type something.

A homeless man looked at Slade.

The homeless man dumped out the alcohol he was drinking.

* * *

**THE BAT CAVE**   
**PRESENT**

Damian hadn't slept in days nor had he showered in days.

He wasn't even sure if it had been days. He had no idea how much time has passed.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" Helena said sitting down next to him in the cave.

"Shouldn't _you_ be with your tutor?" Damian asked hunched over.

"I finished my schoolwork early so he left. Whatcha looking at?"

"Nothing for you to worry about go away." Damian waved her off.

Helena stuck out her tongue and ran off.

Damian groaned and put his face in his hands.

"What are you doing?"

Damian jumped and turned around.

Stephanie was behind him eating from a bag of Cheetos.

"Nothing what do you want?"

"I'm bored. There's like a 12 hour time difference in wherever Tim is right now so he's not texting me back."

A bat flew down and landed on Steph's shoulder.

She fed the bat a Cheeto.

"They're not supposed to eat those." Damian scolded.

"Everyone likes Cheetos Damian."

She leaned over to examine the screen.

He glanced at her in the corner of her eye.

She was older now than when they first met and yet there was something still very girlish about her appearance.

"If you're looking at Deathstroke's old hideouts I think you're going about it all wrong." Stephanie examined taking him out of his gaze.

"What'd you mean?"

"If these are known hideouts he's probably not gonna go there again. You should probably look at places that have just recently been emptied by other assassin groups. If it's believed no ones there it's the perfect place to hideout. Plus if the locals know about it they'll stay away because they don't know if the assassins will come back."

Stephanie pushed him out of the way.

He watched her work.

"You gonna tell me what this is for?" Stephanie asked still typing.

"No."

"Alright then. I'll do this for you but only because I want you to shower."


	39. Issue #39

**REBELS HIDEOUT**   
**3:36 PM CENTRAL TIME**   
  


Robin paced back and forth waiting for Nightstar to show up.

"Text her again." He told Superboy biting his nail through his green glove.

"I've called her ten times." Superboy sighed.

"And you'll do it again," Robin said looking at him.

Superboy pulled out his phone but Nightstar came through the door.

"Sorry I had to take a test after school." She threw her book bag on the couch and sat next to Superboy.

"Are you serious?" Robin asked.

"I'm failing two classes. I couldn't leave." Nightstar swallowed.

Superboy wondered for a second what classes she was failing but Robin spoke first.

"Okay here's where I think your father is."

Robin pulled up a map of an Indonesian mountain. The mountain was called Mount Sumbing.

"The League of Shadows had a base in the mountains. People who live in the village below don't go anywhere near the hideout."

"Makes sense. I would not go anywhere near a ninja cult if I lived there."

"We've been through this. Stop calling them ninjas." Robin said looking at Superboy.

"No," Superboy said shrugging.

"Why do you think my dad is there?" Nightstar asked stopping their argument before it could even start.

"Well, the Shadows moved into a different location recently. They tend to move around and not stay in one place for long. It seems they were only there to do a few quick missions. They assassinated some minor political figures it seems."

"Oh okay... so how are we gonna get there. Are Superboy and I supposed to take turns carrying you?"

Robin shook his head.

"I have another idea."

* * *

**THE BAT CAVE**   
**3:56 LOCAL TIME**   
  


Nightstar looked around the cave. A bat landed on her head. She tried to grab it but it flew off.

"Hey come back." She whispered flying off after it.

Robin was destroying the tracking device in the bat plane.

"This is a really bad idea. Isn't your dad gonna be super mad about this?" Superboy asked leaning down.

"Did you make the pun on purpose?"

"Don't change the subject," Superboy said quickly.

"He'll be mad, yes but we'll be gone so he won't be able to say anything... there done let's go." Robin slid from under the pilot seat of the plane.

They walked out of the plane and Robin grabbed extra batarangs and his sword... just in case.

"You know... it's nice of you to bring Mar'i here." Superboy looked at Nightstar flying upside down mimicking the bats.

"Well... she has no one to tell." Robin shrugged.

Superboy looked back at him.

"She doesn't have anyone who knows both sides of her. Why do you think I told her my secret identity so quickly? She doesn't have anyone to confide the information with."

Superboy stared at him surprised.

"Damian that's really-"

"Are we ready?" Nightstar asked suddenly behind Superboy.

_How did I not hear her?_

"Yes," Robin motioned for her to enter the ship.

She smiled happily and flew inside the plane. She had not been in something similar to this since she got to earth. The escape pod she had come to earth in was taken in by the Blüdhaven police. She would sometimes walk by the place she crash-landed and stare at the broken concrete that still had yet to be fixed two months later.

Superboy and Robin made their way inside the ship. Robin sat in the pilot seat and Superboy slumped down in the seat next to her. The door closed. The cave doors opened.

"You can fly a plane right?" Nightstar asked.

Robin began to flick the levers and push the buttons.

"Yes."

"I'm just asking considering what happened when you tried to fly the blimp." Nightstar sat back in her seat.

"-TT- one time... one time..."

Superboy and Nightstar's head hit the back of their chairs and the plane began to shake. The plane drove out of the cave. The bats screeched at the sound of the plane.

The doors to the cave opened. The plane went faster and faster.

Superboy looked out the window he watched as the school slowly went to the sky.

Nightstar breathed heavily on the window. She drew a fogged heart.  
  


* * *

**MOUNT SUMBING**   
**5:21 CENTRAL TIME**   
  


When the plane landed Robin began to feel anxious. He very rarely felt this way. Maybe it was because he was near a place he knew his grandfather used to be. Although he doubted Ra's would ever step foot in a place like this.

"Man I was hoping it would be snowing," Superboy said.

Nightstar leaned down and picked a small flower.

"We're in Indonesia. Why would you think it would be snowing." Robin asked

"I don't know. We're in the Mountains aren't we?"

Robin opened his mouth to respond but shut it.

 _Too much to unpack there._ He thought.

"So do we have a plan?" Nightstar tucked the yellow flower behind her ear.

"We should stick together. We're in a foreign territory. We're stronger together."

Superboy and Nightstar nodded.

The former League of Shadows hideout was deserted. It was like no one was there before they had arrived. There was dust in the air it made Nightstar want to cough.

"Do you think Deathstroke is here?" Nightstar asked.

"Not sure. We should act as if he is though. We don't know what could be in this building."

"Oh come on I doubt there's a booby trap around here. He has no reason to thin-!"

The floor came out from under him. Robin grabbed his arm. The trio looked below to see spikes standing upright. Granted it probably wouldn't have killed Superboy.

Did the Shadows set this up or did Deathstroke.

Robin pulled Superboy up.

"So it appears you were wrong. Shocking revelation." Robin patted Superboy on the back.

After they got past the first trap they walked a little slower and a little more careful. They came upon two separate hallways.

"Can you see my dad through the walls?" Nightstar asked Superboy hopeful.

"Your dad probably is in a cell... I can't see any cells in here."

Nightstar frowned and looked at the ground. Superboy wondered if he should hold her hand.

"The League of Shadows trace their prison cells with lead. That could be why." Robin thought for a moment.

"W-why do that do that?" Superboy asked.

"Well they would try slowly poisoning you with food but some prisoners wouldn't eat the food so, they can still poison you even if you don't eat," Robin said nonchalantly.

"Ah well, that's lovely." Superboy shuddered.

"Perhaps we should split up then." Nightstar already began walking down the hallway.

Robin grabbed her arm.

"Are you insane?!"

"Probably not." Nightstar glanced at his hand gripping her forearm.

"We need to stick together. We don't know if Deathstroke is here."

"So we should focus on finding my dad as fast as possible. And to do that we need to split up." Nightstar looked at Superboy for help.

"If we're splitting up I'm going with you." Superboy stepped forward.

She smiled warmly at him.

"We have our comms on. If anything happens we'll call." Robin nodded at her.

Thus the trio separated. The hallway was only lit due to candles.

"Deathstroke could be behind any corner. Stay alert." Robin looked around.

"Robin... um, you said the League of Shadows cleared outright." Superboy pulled on his cape.

"Yes."

"Oh... who are they then?"

Robin looked up at the ceiling to see various members of the League of Shadows staring down at them. No one moved. Multiple eyes staring down at the two teenagers.

"I'm about to be killed by ninjas."

"Not ninjas," Robin said back.

"You're gonna spend your final moments correcting me?" Superboy snapped.

"Die the way you lived."

The candles were blown out casting the room in complete and utter darkness.

On the other side of the hideout, Nightstar found herself looking for any sign of her father. She peaked in various cells.

She was at the very last one. She saw her father hanging from the ceiling.

 _"X'hal!"_ Nightstar pulled the door off its hedges.

She rushed by his side.

"Dad? Daddy? Wake up."

She pulled the chain and down from the ceiling.

Dick Grayson was not a huge man. But he did have muscles, he was a lean and flexible person. But in Nightstar's arms, he felt as small and skinny as a twig. It had only been three days but it seems Deathstroke had been torturing him none-stop.

Dried blood was stained on his back.

Dick could only open one eye. He could see Nightstar holding his face gently.

_"S..st.."_

"What? Maybe you shouldn't speak I'll call Superboy and Robin."

He grabbed her arm.

Nightstar blinked her green eyes in confusion.

_"Starshine."_

She laughed confused. She kissed his forehead.

For a small moment, everything was nice.

"That was so cute. Reminds me of the relationship I had with my daughter. Ya know... before you turned her against me."

Slade Wilson had his mask off. He smirked at both of them.

_"Go... please... fly..."_

Dick tried getting up on his broken ankle but fell back into Nightstar's arms.

"I can't leave you." She whispered back.

"Great."

Deathstroke took out his sword.

"You can die together. Father-daughter bonding."


	40. Issue #40

**MOUNT SUMBING**   
**5:24 PM CENTRAL TIME**   
  


He held her arm as tight as his broken fingers would allow.

Before either Deathstroke or Nightstar could fire anything. Superboy was thrown through the wall.

He coughed and sat up. He looked to Nightstar.

"Oh, you found him cool." He gave a thumbs up.

A woman came through the hole that Superboy left. She was tall in a red suit. Long jet black hair was tied back.

She seemed confused at the sight before her.

"Oh, how interesting... Slade Wilson, I believe it was agreed that you never step foot on any land that belongs to the Shadows?"

Deathstroke said nothing.

He tightened his fist. His face could not be seen because of his mask. His whole demeanor had changed, however. Did he seem... nervous?

"I shall make your deaths quick."

A knife was held to the woman's throat.

"We're not done yet," Robin said.

"Lady Talia would be angry with me if I killed you. You're making this very hard for me."

The woman took a knife that was hidden away in her pocket and stabbed Robin in the thigh. He let out a scream and grabbed his thigh trying to stop the blood from gushing out.

The woman threw the knife at Deathstroke and lunged at him. Kicking him backward.

"Who's that?" Nightstar helped Dick to his feet.

"Lady Shiva she's one of the most deadly women alive."

"Well, that's lovely."

Three ninjas came through the hole in the wall that Superboy left.

They looked at Nightstar and the wounded Dick Grayson.

 _"Do we kill them as well?"_ One asked in Arabic.

_"Yes, I believe so."_

"Run!" Superboy yelled at Nightstar.

A dart was blown at her and she burned it.

"Time to go."

She picked her father up carefully, not wanting to hurt him anymore.

She flew down the hall and rested him against a wall.

Dick looked at her now. Her costume, a purple dress that must have been made from some good material considering her entire body could catch on fire.

She was so beautiful. It dawned on him. This was his **child.** This was his **daughter**. This was his daughter and he didn't know anything about her. He let his head hit the stone wall and sighed.

"Are you alright?" She leaned down to look at him.

He laughed dryly. "Oh just fine. How are you?"

"I'm okay... as long as your okay."

The nice moment was interrupted was when a bullet grazed Nightstar's ear.

She screamed and clutched her ear.

Dick looked around the corner.

Slade Wilson looked terrible. His costume was torn and he was bleeding. His mask was torn. A blue stared angrily at Mar'i. His left arm seemed to pop out of the socket.

"Sorry, I'm right-handed."

Nightstar stopped clutching her ear. Before she could throw a starbolt she was hit with Deathstroke's gun.

"You little shit." He kicked her in the stomach.

"Fuck you." She spits in his face.

She bites his leg and he let out a yell. She tasted a metallic liquid.

"God damn it!"

Nightstar punched his knee and he fell to the ground.

"Fuck you!" Nightstar began to punch him in the face.

"Fuck you! You bastard." She felt tears roll down her cheeks.

She couldn't remember the last time she cried this hard. It must have been when she first arrived.

She shouldn't even be on this stupid planet. Yet here she was.

_I want to go home. I want my mom. I hate it here._

_I hate it._

_I hate it._

She felt arms wrapped around her waist. She stopped.

Deathstroke coughed up blood and turned his head to the side.

"It's okay. You're okay. I got you." She felt her father kiss the back of her sweaty neck.

She stopped and let her fist fall.

"I got you Starshine I got you."

 _"Finish it"_ Deathstrokespit blood into her face.

She stared at him. His nose was broken and his lip was busted open. Lady Shiva did a number on him even before her.

_"Don't be a coward. Do it."_

She felt her father hold her tighter.

Nightstar shut her eyes tight.

"You're a sad bitter old man and I want you to know, that _no one_ loves you." Her words cut like a knife.

The wall that was adjacent to them blew up.

"Is that what I think it is?" Dick asked his daughter.

"Robin borrowed it."

Superboy waved from the inside of the black jet.

"Time to go."

She picked her father up and flew out of the hole that was left in the garage.

Deathstroke got up and leaned against the wall. Robin flipped him off.

The jet backed up and disappeared into the clouds.

Nightstar placed him down on a medical bench.

She began to clean his face, blood-filled gauze.

Dick touched her face. He rubbed the blood off her forehead.

"I gotta start training you better. Can't just use your strength to get what you want."

She stared.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

She sat on the bench next to him.

"I still think I did pretty good though."

"Yeah, sure whatever." Dick nudged her with his foot.  
  


* * *

**8:00 PM CENTRAL TIME**   
**BAT CAVE**   
  


He took off his mask. Damian walked up the stairs slowly. Everything in his body hurt. He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

He grabbed bottled water and drank.

"So. You took the plane."

Damian spit out his water.

Bruce Wayne sat in the dark at the kitchen table.

"What the hell? How long were you there?"

"Answer my question first. Why did you take my plane?"

Damian rolled his eyes. "I'm going to bed."

"Damian-"

"Maybe I took it just for fun? Is that impossible to imagine? That I have fun?" Damian turned around angry.

"You don't get to take the plane without permission just for a joyride."

"Yeah like I've never seen you do things just for the fun of it and without thinking of consequences."

"Go to your room," Bruce said sternly.

"I was already going."

He made sure to slam his bedroom door.

Something was immediately off when he was in his room. Someone was in here at some point he could tell. He tried to hear someone's breathing but couldn't. He turned on the light.

No one. He looked to see a sword on his bed along with a note that simply said.  
  


**THEY HAVE FALLEN.**


	41. Chapter 41

**METROPOLIS**   
**12:12 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


A month went by after the team had saved Dick Grayson from Deathstroke. For a short time, he was on crutches so being Nightwing was out. He did still find a way to train Mar'i. She liked training with her father. Most fathers would take their daughters to the mall but maybe dodging punches was their mall.

In the month Jon left the Kent family farm. He remembered sitting in the back of the truck and looking back the whole ride. He had set up his room. Jon had found that this room was a _lot_ bigger than his room back home. Krypto jumped on his bed and shut his eyes.

There was a knock at his bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

His grandma entered.

"I'm gonna go down to the market. Would you like to come with me?"

He shook his head.

She seemed disappointed but nodded.

"I kind of like living in the city. Things are a lot closer here."

"It smells here," Jon said.

Krypto barked.

"It smells bad everywhere. Whether it's cow manure or sewage."

She pulled Jon down to her height and kissed his forehead.

"I like it here. You lived here for a few years in the past. Just try and enjoy this. Please? For me?"

"Okay." He gave her a small smile.

"Good!" She clapped and grabbed her purse.

"I'll be back later!"

The front door closed.

Krypto sat up and rushed towards the front door.

"What?"

Krypto sniffed the door and sat in front of it.

A moment later the doorbell rang.

_Did she forget her keys?_

Jon opened the door to see Mary smiling at him and Damian with his arms crossed.

"Uh hi, guys?"

"Nice apartment. Rent?" Damian asked walking in.

"Sure come on in," Jon whispered.

Mary skipped in and jumped on the couch.

"Shoes."

Mary kicked off her pink Mary Jane shoes and jumped down from the couch. Krypto jogged over to her and jumped in her arms.

"Hi, puppy!" She kissed the dog on his forehead.

"Is this leather?" Damian asked touching the armchair that used to be in Jon's grandpa's den.

"Yes! Is there a reason you two didn't call?"

"I'm being spontaneous." Damian shrugged

They made their way to Jon's bedroom.

"I'm glad you could meet me here." Damian clapped as Mary and Jon sat down.

"In _my_ house?" Jon exclaimed.

"I think we should come up with some rules for our little team here."

Damian left the room and came back with a whiteboard.

"How did he even-"

Jon was cut off with Damian putting a number one on the board.

"Rule one; we work together and strategize. If you miss a meeting you're off the team."

Mary raised her hand.

"Yes, Mary?"

"What if I have something to do for school. I have cheerleading. And ASL but we meet during the day usually."

Damian thought for a moment before sighing. "I'll allow it."

She nodded and gave him a smile.

"Rule two;"

He wrote a two on the board.

"No dating within the team. It always ends in disaster and I will not have it."

"My parents dated when they were on the Titans." Mary pouted.

"Yeah, and a possessed version of their friend interrupted their wedding. Is that what you want Mary?"

"No."

"Good then keep it in your skirt."

Jon frowned and glanced at Mary in the corner of his eye.

She looked pretty today...

Damian slammed his hands on the whiteboard. Jon looked at him with a raised brow and a frown.

"Number 3; we have to be honest with what's happening with one another if we can't trust each other there's no point in us being together."

There were several more rules.  
  
  
 **DAMIANS RULES FOR THE REBELS**  
 _1\. Work and strategize together_  
 _2\. NO DATING WITHIN THE TEAM!!!_  
 _3\. Be honest with one another_  
 _4\. Help people even if a supervillain isn't involved_  
 _5\. Never talk to the JL EVER_  
 _6\. Only work alongside other heroes if we have no choice_  
 _7\. DO NOT tell other people each other's secret identity_  
 _8\. Say yes to everything Damian says_  
 _9\. If more people wish to join the team the three (3) original members must vote on it_  
 _10\. Regroup at the end of every mission and discus_  
  
  
  


"I think we should vote to change rule eight." Jon raised his hand.

"Request denied." Damian put down the marker and sat down on a red beanbag.

Mary laughed and scratched Krypto behind the ear.

"How's your dad? Is he back on his feet yet?" Jon asked throwing a baseball up in the air and catching it.

"He's doing better. He's been training me a lot. He can't go back as Nightwing for another week." Mary sighed.

"Training you how?" Damian asked confused.

Mary bit her bottom lip and stood up. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She did a backflip and raised her arms. Her smile was big and her eyes were shining.

"Is that it?" Damian asked frowning.

Mary threw a pillow at him.

"Well I thought it was very impressive," Jon reassured with his head in his palms.

"Thank you, Jonny."

"Kiss ass," Damian whispered.

Jon stuck out his tongue. Mary jumped back on the bed with her feet against the headboard.

"Is your dad still mad about taking the bat plane?" Mary questioned.

"Yeah. I just got ungrounded today."

"I mean you did take a plane I feel like the punishment is fair."

"My fathers not here you don't need to suck up."

Mary snorted and buried her face into one of Jon's many pillows.

"I'm not being a suck-up."

Damian looked at Mary. "One time when we were kids-"

"No! Don't tell her that story!" Jon tried to tackle Damian.

The building shook. The trio paused.

They ran to the window to see what or _who_ was making the noise. People walking on the street stopped and looked around. From the sky, a man with massive muscles and grey skin began to punch and throw cars around.

Jon swallowed.

That couldn't be...

"Who the hell is that?" Mary asked watching the Goliath of a man rampage.

"That's Bizarro."

* * *

**DOWNTOWN METROPOLIS**   
**12:59 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


"What's he even doing?" Nightstar watched from behind a thrown car.

"I have no idea," Robin responded.

"Let me handle this. I think I can calm him down." Superboy stood up with his arms up.

Robin and Nightstar watched as he slowly approached Bizarro.

Superboy stopped walking.

"Bizarro? It's me! Goodbye, are you doing... bad?"

"Is he having a stroke?" Nightstar questioned puzzled.

"Bizarro is from a different world where everything is backward. Good is bad and bad is good. That's why he has the backward 'S' on his costume." Robin pointed to the upside-down 'S'.

"Good! Me good! Want to..."

Bizarro was suddenly electrocuted and fell to the ground.

"Bizarro!"

Superboy leaned down to touch his arm.

"Superboy wait!"

Superboy felt something crawl on him.

"What the h-"

It attached to the base of his neck and gripped his skin.

A shock went through his body and he fell to the ground.

_"Ah, a new one... fascinating."_

He blinked.

He felt someone touch his arm.

"Superboy are you alright?" Robin asked him.

_"Throw him against the wall Superboy."_

_No, I don't want to._ He thought.

Superboy picked his best friend up by the neck and threw him against a building.

_Stop!_

"Robin! Jonny what is wrong-"

 _"Punch her in the stomach."_ The voice said in a monotoned voice.

_No!_

Superboy punched Nightstar in the stomach.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes and coughed.

He felt someone jump on his back.

"Jon, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Robin spit.

Robin noticed a small device attached to the base of Superboys neck.

Before he could touch it Superboy grabbed him by the cape and threw him on top of Nightstar. Superboy flew off.

They both were pulled up.

Bizarro dusted both of them off.

"Me not sorry." Bizzaro looked at Robin.

"Excuse-"

Robin cut her off.

"That thing that was on you belonged to Brainiac."

Bizzaro let out a large yell. He put his hands over his ears.

"Who's... Brainiac?"

Bizzaro looked at him.

"Good... no... bad man."


	42. Issue #42

**METROPOLIS DOCKS**   
**1:00 PM LOCAL TIME**   
  


He screamed inside of his head.

 _Get out! Get out! Get out!_ He yelled at the man in his head

_"Not until you get me what I am owed."_

_I don't owe you, anything psycho!_

If he was Mar'i he would have said something more colorful.

_What is it that you want?_

_"All the world's knowledge. The last time I came to this planet Superman destroyed the body I was using. He had almost destroyed me. I traveled back to Colu empty-handed. It took me years to come up with a plan to inch myself back here. Even if this small device is destroyed I will live on! Brainiac lives on!"_

Superboy slammed his head against a wall.

He was in downtown Metropolis. The slums.

_"Now... where is Lex Luthor?"_

On top of a building, all the way across town Nightstar hovered over Robin's shoulder. Bizzaro sat crisscrossed. A pigeon sat on his head. He laughed.

"Brainiac attacked thirteen years ago. He's this supercomputer he learns everything a planet has to offer and then destroys it."

"Why does he destroy the planet?" Nightstar asked.

Robin sighed, "so no one gains the knowledge he has. The stories and science of these worlds will die with him. He thinks he deserves it."

"My mother once told me that no one is owed anything and people who believe they are owned gold, lovers, or praise will find themselves alone and with their hearts empty."

Robin thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Yeah well, it seems the dumbest people are always the happiest." He finally said.

They both looked at Bizzaro who had more pigeons around him. One pigeon pecked his hand and he patted it on the head.

"Superboy still has his communicator on which means we can track him."

"Okay, where's he headed?" Nightstar asked.

"A Lexcorp storage facility? It's where Lexcorp keeps a lot of their secrets."

"Why would Brainiac make Superboy go there?"

"No idea. But let's go before we lose him. Bizzaro!"

Bizzaro and the pigeons looked over.

"We're going come on."

He frowned and jumped up.

Nightstar picked Robin up.

"You know I hate when you do this." He said as they began to fly.

"Oh, would you like Bizzaro to carry you?" She asked with a smirk.

He looked over at Bizzaro who was humming some random song and spun around in the air.

Robin grumbled and held onto Nightstar.

Superboy flew over the guards' heads. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He needed to make sure he didn't get caught.

_"Lex Luthor is not here... no matter we shall kill him later."_

_I'm not killing anyone._

_"You do not have much of a choice."_

Superboy hid from guards.

_"This is taking too long. Kill the guards now."_

_N-no!_

Superboy moved forward and flew towards the guards.

"Stop... stop!" The guards shot at him and ducked.

Superboy flew through several doors. Alarms blared off and red lights flashed.

_"Ah yes here we are."_

They stood in the heart of the building. Several supercomputers aligned from wall to wall.

_"Perfect let us begin."_

_How is this even gonna work?_

_"Not to worry I shall show you."_

Superboy was forced to walk up to one of the supercomputers. He touched it with both his hands. Nothing happened for a moment before...

The computer sparked and Superboy felt a tingling at the back of his neck. Honestly, it tickled. The computer continued to spark.

He felt like he was killing it.

After he was done Superboy winced.

Police and SWAT officers surrounded the building.

"Well, that's not good," Nightstar commented looking down at them.

"He's already here."

"Plan?" Bizzaro asked looking at the other two.

"We're gonna try and overwhelm him and take that stupid Brainiac tech off of him."

"No, hurt Superboy." Bizzaro frowned.

"We don't have a choice."

"Always a choice."

Bizzaro came crashing down from the top of the building. They walked together, this new trio down a hallway. They looked through a cracked open wall. They saw Superboy touching the computers.

They hid. Bizzaro stood there and Robin grabbed his cape.

"Okay, so what do we do?" Nightstar whispered.

"We need to take him by surprise. Right now he doesn't-"

Robin and Nightstar were pushed out of the way of several falling computers. It fell on top of Bizzaro.

 ** _"You're not nearly as quiet as you think you are,"_** Superboy spoke in a voice that was like his own but wasn't.

"Plan B." Robin took out a batarang.

"I don't like Plan B!"

Superboy attacked.

Robin dodged him and tried jumping on his back.  
Superbly threw his back against a wall. Robin cried out in pain. He felt the air knocked out of his longs.

"Nightstar! A little help?!" Robin choked out.

She swallowed and looked at Superboy.

She threw an orange star bolt at him.

 ** _"Tamaranean..."_** was all Superboy said.

Robin frowned.

She threw another she flew towards him and grabbed his arm.

"Jonny wake-!"

Superboy tried punching her. She grabbed his wrist and twisted it downward. She flipped up to wrap her legs around his neck and pulled him down to the ground. She pinned his arm down.

"Damn that training with Nightwing paid off," Robin whispered.

Superboy's eyes turned red but before he could fry her eyes out. Nightstar had a computer thrown at her. She cried. Superboy threw her off of him.

Bizzaro frowned and looked at Superboy.

"No hurt Superboy."

Superboy frowned and flew off.

"You idiot!" Robin whisper-shadowed.

Nightstar got up from the ground and leaned against the wall.

"No _hurt_ Superboy!"

"We don't have a choice!" Robin got the air back into his lungs and pushed them out with his yell.

"He's right," Nightstar said.

Robin and Bizzaro looked at her.

She slid down the wall.

"I hurt him I don't want to do that again." Nightstar put her head in her hands.

"No, okay you didn't do anything wrong," Robin reassured.

"I don't want to hurt him. Just like I don't want to hurt you." She looked at him with sad eyes.

Robin sighed.

He didn't want to hurt Superboy either. But the truth was he didn't have another plan.

"Brainiac seemed scared of you," Robin said mostly to himself.

Robin thought to himself before snapping. He looked to Bizzaro.

"Did you come here on a ship?" Robin asked.

"No boat." Bizzaro shook his head.

"No! A ship! Like an alien ship!" Robin yelled throwing his arms up.

"Oh! Yes! Ship! Flew me!"

"That's strange why would he not have you fly here. It would probably have been faster."

Robin looked at Nightstar.

"What?"

"I read that some Tamaraneans can go supernova. They release all the ultraviolet energy into a contained explosion."

"How do you-"

"Nightstar. Can you do that?"

She blinked.

Her mother could do it. She's seen her mother do it. Her uncle told her, her grandmother had done it once before. But she wasn't her mother. She was just Mar'i.

"I don't know..."

"Yeah well you're gonna have to figure out because I think Brainiac is gonna kill Lex Luthor."

Nightstar and Bizzaro had little emotion on their face. Robin sighed.

"We _can't_ let him kill him."

Nightstar sighed and got up. "Whatever."

She was going to take a long bath when this was over.

"No hurt Superboy?" Bizzaro asked Nightstar.

She thought for a moment. "I'm not gonna hurt him. I would never really hurt him."  
  


* * *

**LEXCORP**   
**2:35 PM LOCAL TIME**

The door to his office burst open. Alexander Luthor stood up. Superboy threw his assistant Mercy on his desk.

Superboy looked at the man.

Lex hid his shock with begrudged amusement.

"Usually people make an appointment Boy of Steel."

**_"Lex Luthor. Do you not remember me?"_ **

Lex smirk faded. "How are you... here..." he sunk back in his chair.

**_"A long story that will last far too long. It is time for you to die."_ **

"I never betrayed you! I was loyal!" He was lying through his teeth and Brainiac knew it.

Years and years ago. Brainiac went to Lex Luthor with a proposition to destroy the Earth after gaining all of its knowledge. Lex didn't know why Brainiac was offering this to him but maybe it was because he was the smartest man in the world.

Who's to say.

However. Lex Luthor didn't trust anyone fully. As much as having a universe full of knowledge there was a very, very, very, very, very, _very,_ **very,** small part of him that knew he could not help someone destroy the Earth. He told the Justice League of Brainiacs plan.

Lex looked at a drawer on his left side. He reached for it but Superboy grabbed his wrist and crushed it in his hand. Lex was then thrown against his fish tank. Glass shattered the floor along with specks of Lex's blood.

**_"Are you ready to pay for what you have done?"_ **

"Are you?" Lex asked.

Superboy was stabbed in the back with kryptonite.

He screamed in pain. Mercy Graves spit out blood before falling to the floor in exhaustion.

"I don't know what the best part of this is." Luthor stood up.

"Killing Superboy or killing Superboy with the mind of Brainiac."

Superboy coughed.

 _"This is most unfortunate,"_ Brainiac said to him.

 _Yeah no shit._ Superboy thought back.

Lex was about to push the kryptonite deeper but was kicked to the ground.

Robin looked down at him.

"Did you get balder since the last time I saw you?" He asked smugly.

Bizzaro picked Superboy up. He ripped the kryptonite out.

**_"If you try and remove the device it will send a shock to his brain. He will die."_ **

Nightstar took Superboy in her arms.

"That's not what we're gonna do."

She flew up into the air.

**_"The machine will still grant me access to the knowledge I have gathered. Do not try and go up to the Earth's atmosphere."_ **

"You don't deserve the knowledge you have forcefully taken. I hope one day to see you burn."

Nightstar wrapped her arms around Superboys neck. She hugged him as tight as possible.

**_"You cannot do-"_ **

"You don't get decided what I do."

There was a soft **boom** in the air. She felt her entire body go numb. She still held onto him.

Nightstar breathed him in wanting the smell of his skin to get trapped in her lungs and stay there forever.

Superboy felt his body falling. His eyes felt heavy but he kept them open just a little so he could look at her.

Looking at her always felt like a gift. He was grateful he got to look at her as often as he did.

They crashed three miles outside the city.

Their costumes were torn and burned. They held together but just barely. They laid in the crater they had created. Neither having the energy to move or speak.

Minutes later Bizzaro and Robin flew over them. They dropped down. Robin ran to the creator and slid down.

He breathed heavily and looked at his teammates.

Superboy coughed.

Nightstar groaned.

 _"Alhamd lilah."_ He laughed.

"That hurt," Superboy said looking at Nightstar.

"Fuck off I just saved you." She groaned. She tried to slap him but her hand fell.

Robin picked up Nightstar. She leaned against him.

There was a salty taste in her mouth she couldn't quite pinpoint where it even came from.

Bizzaro picked Superboy up and hugged him.

"Superboy! No hurt!"

"Yeah I mean I guess." He winced out.

The sun was beginning to set in the distance. Superboy watched it and gave a small smile.

His grandpa once told him that "wherever you are, the sun will always set and the day will always end."

That was true.


End file.
